Hitaus
by IndigoEmpress-Ri
Summary: When Manta promised himself he'd always by Yoh's side, he didn't mean it like this. But, life goes on, and he must accept that, atleast, til the end, til the Hitaus./Sequel of Useful Ideas inside, Chap. 7/I have decided to TRY and restart this. For people
1. Chap 1: Pools of loyalty

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This, being my first dtory, might not appeal to all, but if you do like it, it is best to read all of it, So I don't feel like a fool. I might get better at being light hearted as I get reviews, so if you wanna make me happy, REVIEW! C:

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**Th****e first two paragraphs are 3rd person, after that Is Manta: 1st person. Warning: Possible Mpreg, Yaoi (soft kind), what most might say character bashing, OOC, but slight to MUCH in character, shorth paragraphs, lots of confusion.**

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-Hitaus-

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Days were so much different since what Manta remembered, from those days were he and his friends, if you could call a few of them that, as _close _as many of them were, the word alluded the reference to those specific people, traveled (but not really so) around the world to get the prestigious title of 'Shaman King'. He helped out (if you an call it help), but even so, the competition had to be put on hiatus, after the incidents that occurred.

Said incidents did _not_ want to die. And most knew this, as said incident had a name. And said name plagued the known (shaman) world, as those that did not give into, said incident, already knew.

'_Hao_.'

I signed, tapping my fingers on the cold wood in front of an old TV as I _tried _to get my mind of things, tried being the keyword, but couldn't. '_Stupid, really, since most of the people here think he's dead_' I thought, in a monotone, wearingly reaching out for the control, currently unused and lying on a small coffee tabled, beaming with innocence.

"You wouldn't dare," said a voice behind me, booming with a familiar dooming aura around it. "Its high time you know your manners, its 'Anna time'."

I signed again and turned my head to the self-proclaimed empress of the house, not that _anyone_ was complaining, truly. '_Not_' I mussed to myself.

"Of course, Shaman Queen," I raised an eyebrow and giddily commenced to get up, balancing myself on the wall, having slight difficulties in getting up caused by the numbness in my legs from cutting the circulation, from sitting cross-legged, for so long, doing nothing but thinking to myself about old forgotten memories about times long past.

Moving my legs, with suddenly grimace when my legs beginned to burn and flinch from flailing them around too much. Anna walked from the door frame, slower than necessary, in due part because she was probably strutting her big belly for me to be baked in the presence of the future 'prince' of shamans, since she probably made up the 'shaman queen' title (thought something tells me that, no, this is not true), she'd probably do the same for her child; and sat in a position I could very well see up her dress, if she had not worn some maternal evening gown with matching long pants.

She stared me down, some twisted amusement apparent on her face. "Morty, please fetch me Yoh," she said curtly, switching the channels at a breakdown speed, not even needing to pause the channels, since she knew what was on, and what she _wanted_ to see. "The lazy-ass is probably unconscious on the floor from the trip he got going down the slippery, still wet, hall that I demanded he'd clean."

'_Morty? Noone ever calls me that, anymore_' I silently mussed to myself, stretching my legs a little more, before walking out the way Anna appeared from and began my quest to find Yoh-kun. _'Still, leaving your fiancé unconscious on the cold, wet floor, seems a lil' harsh. But that's Anna for you, 99.9 percent of the time cruel and a tyrant, the next .1 percent of the time, kind… but to Yoh only, and part of that time, its him that gets no slack… I sense future abuse lawsuit charges… probably from her, at the end. As things normally turn out, ironically._'

I signed, yet again, and began to process the logic, since, for some reason, didn't sit well with the invisible being that was showing itself in his chest, beating rapidly against his ribcage. '_And, of all things, I'm doing chores for little miss soon-to-be Asakura_' I bit my upper lip as it dragged Itself along the pink, soft flesh; and thought to were the presuming, now, dried wood paneling of the hall could have been.

"The slacker is at the hot springs," Someone said from the remolded meditation room, from were the many portion of the house went to seek refuge from the ghastly monster known as Anna, since she couldn't walk up the high wooden steps, and the slippery water from the leeks that normally happen at this side of the house. Normally you'd think they did that on purpose when the build it, some months ago. "Probably faked that fall to get some napping in his overrated life, for once."

I stared at the little hut for a little while, but ignored the presumably Chinese shaman and went in the direction of the house that he had pointed out for me. "Don't go so fast, shorty, the hall to the hot spring is still wet," I paused from my running, looked back at the shaman _now_ standing outside the little hut, hand holding his precious milk, and smirking at me in some unreadable way. "Unless you want to be cared for you any whim, embarrassed like the last time."

I cringed, looked away, and ran the opposite direction to were the still short, purple haired shaman was, still smirking in a way that unnerved me. '_The guy seems so much more… cocky? And I'm the one he normally doesn't put attention to…_' I mentally shrugged, while decreasing my speed, walking slowly to the destination and the slightly wet floor, making it into a full halt when I got to the destination.

I walked inside the male portion of the hot springs and looked around the now massive portion, even if the female one was actually bigger, as I accidentally found out the time the guys thought my new hat (that was attached to me) was a bolly ball, and threw it into the forbidden area, on purpose. '_I'll never be the same…_'

I walked on the dry parts, as to not get wet, and began my search.

I looked around the new ornaments, that You-kun liked to play with since they were on the far side of the bath, and even if Anna tried, the position made it impossible for her, and couldn't find him. I searched around the hotter hot springs, reserved for people with extra flabby resistance to pain and/or burning sensation, since it was a old fashioned like rapid deep fryer, good for any food. And finally the last hot spring at the center, which was the most used, but hardly with any efficiency since you count spot people from the two main rooms (reserved for Anna and Yoh), or the _one_ large master bedroom for the engaged couple.

_If only that extra space was for you, eh, Manta?_ An annoying part of my brain silently teased me and was stubborn enough to stay there. _Since, you know, you wouldn't be caught _dead _being so abusive to your silly little crush_- I forcefully shut up that part of my mind, somehow, and resumed my search.

After a while I spotted his orange headphones in the most secluded part of the male bath. I speeded up my walk and stood in front, truly behind, of the could be called 'Shaman King'. Only to find he sleeping.

"Um, Yoh?" I patted the water beside were the sleeping shaman was, creating ripples that bounced on the pale skin, and rebounded slightly harshly in his eyes.

"Hmmm… Manta…?" Yoh said, half in the waking world, half _not_.

"Yeah, You-kun, Miss Asakura asks for your presence for another meaningless task," I smiled a little bit at the amusing face that Yoh did. "And I bet she won't like it if you're late…"

Yoh grumbled something incoherent before he rapped an arm around me and pulled me, albeit a little bit forcefully, in the bath. "Five more minutes, Manta-chan," Yoh pulled me onto his lap and began too snuggle me in my full attire, against his less-then-so body.

I blushed wildly and began to try and pry myself of his hold, a task meaningless to succeed since the man, no, boy that was holding me was stronger, had more stamina and was _taller_ than me. "Yoh-kun, I don't think you holding me like this a good idea…"

Yoh chuckled happily, probably **high** on himself. "No worries, Manta-chan, this is the _boys_ bath, nothing _bad_ can happen here-" Yoh was cut short when the male bath's door was opened, and all the hot springs lost there steam, making it easy for anyone to be able spot us from the main opening of the bath. I almost fainted and had a heart attack at the same time.

There was Anna, in a scandal-like dress in what appeared to be an oversized shirt, which hovered above her privates for only those sitting or small to see. It really did _not_ make my day. It also made me wonder why she had changed.

"_Yoh_," her voice boomed with doom that before mentioned all the punishments in the world, and I, was scared of what would happen to Yoh. Not worrying about myself all that much.

Yoh chuckled weakly, before letting me go, albeit, letting me fall into the semi-deep of the hot spring, and stood in front of a very annoyed, slightly murderous, itako. Yoh seemed to be bowing the way he stood in front of her, making up every excuse he could with one short breath of air, seeing as he had a short time to explain the moment before the female shaman incinerated all in her sight.

"Shut _up_, Yoh," her voice was dangerously low, and most of us knew what would happen if Yoh disobeyed, like normal, it would end… rather… badly. "And _you_," She turned to me, casting a fearsome glare upon my head, making me involuntarily shiver. "_You_ were _given_ the _task_ of _searching _for Yoh, yet I find _you _snuggling _with _Yoh."

For one moment, only one, my brain made an illogical thought that might haunt me forever, correct me if I'm wrong, but… '_Was she jealous?_'

I shivered as she forced daggers into my skull, fully expecting me to come and bow and praise her above all else, since she WAS _the_ all else in this household, so no objections there. I tried to get up from the pool of hot water, but the slippery rocks just didn't want me to live, so the made me drown every attempt, and every time I resurfaced I saw Yoh's ever concerning eyes grow larger and more scared I might hurt myself. '_I already have_…'.

I fought the rocks, but eventually got up from the hot water, logically drenched in water, probably going to get a cold if I don't act rapidly, but, no. That won't happen if Anna doesn't let there be a body to be prone to this in the first place.

She glared at me, fixing her edgy eyes on my form for a second; ripping away at the sane mentality I have fought to be able to keep. Then, as I pulled the baby blue jacket of my head, grabbed me by my lightly golden locks and heaved me to the extra hot springs and drowned me in them, even as I flailed in the jacket that now served as my death sentence in the combination of water in my jacket and the water burning my skin. It was horrible, but after a while, I let her do it. I grows less fun for her the less I show suffering, in theory. Or maybe she thinks all those times I died…

I cringed as I felt cold air touch the mild burns I now had, and huff for air as she disposed of my jacket, heaving it over her shoulders, and laying it on her back. She smiled sweetly and then kissed me on the cheek, reeking with false emotions and feelings.

"Awww…. Thank you Manta-_chan_, this will be the perfect gift for mine and Yoh's _baby_." She cooed as she snuggled with what was previously mine, as if making love to it by all the bizarre noises coming outta her mouth. "It's so warm and fine textured… probably because it was _previously _owned by a fairly _rich little snobby_ _**boy**_." She inhaled in the cheap fabric, probably thinking, or maybe not so, that the material was high grade, even if I pride myself on being as normal as I can, and if she finds out it isn't, she'll behead me for my _lies_, as she's gone mad with power… I wish to believe.

I refrained from commenting, heading out of the springs before Anna began to over use all the powers she was granted. I walked past a exasperated and very still Yoh, probably in his own little world, sinking into the thought of how far Anna is going into, not that anyone in the funbari springs didn't know what would happen if she tasted the power that is supreme leadership that would be given to her when she _became _shaman king's…. wife that is.

"Yeah, whatever Anna…" I murmured as I walked ever closer to the exit, and through the already open gates, if it hadn't been that Yoh calling me out, finally snapping out of his little trance. But his call just made me go faster, and in the opposite direction, into the dining room, and into the kitchen. He knew what would happen to him if he was seen talking to him after we _both_ were called out by Anna, it only be a matter of time what would happen to him if this went on as it had.

No such luck, as Yoh walked into my way, and into my face as soon as he called again, the third time. '_Damn, have to remember his ultra agility…. He normally only uses to get me and himself into trouble…. The lazy bum_.' My front lip curled into a disapproving look, I could tell, but his face scrunched up into two pleading, saddened eyes. '_Aww….. come on… is this torture?_" I signed and sat on the nearby chair; slightly annoyed I just lost my thunder. But when don't I, huh?

He grinned happily as he grabbed a chair and position himself in front of me, cheery look on his face blowing me away. He began to talk on of how he was sorry, and didn't mean to get us both on Anna's black list, and that she was easily angered now that she was going to have that damn baby…

"Please, think this out, Manta-kun, she really at an emotional stage right now, and needs her happy time, so please, support her for a little bit longer..."

My lips curled up in disapproval once again, but his eyes just didn't make that go that deeply into my hardening noggin. And certainly not now. I focused on not looking at him, but couldn't because of threw constant noise that came and violated my poor ears, trying to get my full attention, pleading things that just didn't seem like something neither of us would do…. Making me wonder, what was happening to Yoh.

I sign at put a finger on his lips, instantly shutting him off; I was growing tired and could get my mind straight, the injuries going to my head. So I cast a shadowed look once more on Yoh's face and proceeded to move out of the room, and into the basement, were I set myself to dose of for a while.

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After a while of dosing, and making sure Monosuke was fine, I went into the daylight, only to find it was dark and everything was turned off. '_Anna… probably turned everything off and pulled Yoh away for another _date.' I puffed my face, and walked down the hallways and doors, making sure not to bump into some of the furniture that she had.

Or suffer the consequences.

"I just don't know anymore," Said a voice in the distance, confused and worried. "Everything is going in all different directions…. I want leave, but right just doesn't accept that"

"That's normal, ya know, with all the things going on in your life" I heard yet another voice, concerned and knowing, yet cheery and light-hearted, trying to make the other voice feel better, or something. "Can't say what ya want? Say it anyway, always a solution there."

"Or, your throwing it totally out of proportion, trying to find something that's not there in the first place" Of all the voices, I knew this one clearly, but the fact that I was half awake, even after all the things I did, made it hard to focus, especially since there was no light to wake up my eyes.

"But, you don't get it, I'm supposed to be married… but I'm starting to fall for him… the one that's always been _there_ for me when I needed _him_. I… I just can't do this…"

My eyes flew wide, alerted as soon as I hear this, rushing to the location of the voices, finding it in the meditation room, the only light for miles, shining into my wary eyes. I soon climbed the stairs silently, and looked in the door, fiddling with the wires of the small-roomed house, eyeing the scene in front of me, Yoh, Ren, Horo, Lyserg and Ryo, all on tatami mats.

Yoh, who was fiddle ling with his fingers, acting very out of character and bouncing in his own world, concentrating on a crack on the wall. "I don't think I want to do this… fall into his arms, I mean… it seems so… controversial…" _Very_ out of character.

Ren, cross-legged and snorting and drinking his milk, replied snarkly. "It's not us to decide, Yoh, it's your ball, why don't you dress up for it?" He drank the last drops left in the bottle, then magically made appear another one.

Horo, who was right next to Ren, said hastily, in a hyperactive way. "Come one finish this up, we have to go! Before we get _them_ killed." '_I wonder whose_ them?'

Lyserg, who was steadily the quietest, propelled himself upward and began to shout his heart out, probably outraged by the whole thing, screaming only one sentence, probably falling out his rocker. "But HIM!? Please! You must be insane! This can't be happening!…… this can't be happening…" He fell into his own arms, hands on his face, shaking visibly, making choking sounds and what seemed to be crying. He had lost it, the pressure just made him loose it.

Yoh, shaken by being yelled at… well… by someone else then Anna, began to hick as he put his own hands on his face, and pushed it into his hair, several time. "Yes, this _should_n't be happening…but it is… but it has too… you know it as much as I do…"

What happened next made my eyes grow wide and my mind screamed in terror… made my very blood go cold, as he said those words. But really, was I ready for this?

"_We have to get Hao_"

_I stood still. Time stopped working_…

No. I was not.

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End, for now.

This is my first story, which I've ever made, so I'm picky. Say what you like shut up of what you don't, that's how I like it.

Bye bye


	2. Chap 2: Now if only he gotten it right

**Hello again, to however reviewed, thank you. To however did not, GO AND DO IT ALREADY!! Well, I hope everyone likes quick updates!**

**This chapter 's darker, for some reason, but still T. Reason? I hate M that are wimps, and hate T that have no backbone. Yesh. Also, I tried my best to make it all first person, so if it comes out 2****nd**** or 3****rd****, sorry, I messed up. This has lots of cursing; I think I exaggerated, but no much.**

**All in manta pov.**

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/Hitaus/

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My body shook as I felt the whole world, my whole reality, crash and shatter beside me, and if that were truly being the case, I'd die from the blood loss.

But _reeeeally_, was he ready for that either…?

Then, the whole picture sharpened, my mind began to respond, sending messages of panic, interweaving inside my system, breaking loose all the emotions I suddenly had in my heart. I sucked for air as my body shook, I don't know why. It was like I knew what that meant, but not _really_. So I tell you, was I ready?

I believe I told you I wasn't.

My grip tightened on the black wires I had grasped in my hand, sending myself over the edge. Why? Because the more I stood there, the more I felt like all I thought was reality, was suddenly fiction, and all _they_ believed was fiction, was the _actual_ reality.

Of sorts.

I heard them shatter on and on, but the words never reached my ears, they just sounded like murmur of the haunted sea. A sea of confusion and doubt. Which I was always the captain, for some odd _odd_ reason. And so I crashed down on the hard floor, eyes bulging with disbelief, twitching like a crazy person and whimpering on the floor, I scratched on the floor with my dull, but miraculously sharp finger nails, leaving unsightly markings of my five fingered hands, breaking my thinking, breaking it, not noticing….

So I was so shell-shocked, I hardly noticed how deep my breathing was, it felt like hyperventilating, and not that _really_ shocking on my part.

I suppose.

'_Get a hold on it, Manta! You could've gotten it wrong! Misunderstood, or something of the like. No need to worry, so get a _freakin'_ hold on yourself!_' I screamed in my head, mentally swatting myself as I tried to make heads or tails of things. But in the struggle of my superior sides, of shock and sanity, I had literally slapped myself in the face. **Hard**.

'…_Oww_…'

As soon as I had gained control of myself, which came with a bloody nose, ever so slightly, and red face mark upon my cheek, I stumbled upon the slippery steps, legs wobbly and in all terms, basically NOT functioning, my head was dizzy, because of the impact, but at least now I could think one of two thoughts…. Which I needed, at the moment.

But non surprisingly, the boys heard the sound of the clash with skin, and made abrupt noises inside the little shack-like structure, obviously standing up. My breath hitched, thoughts of what would happen if they found me out breaking the walls of my head, sending panic through my system, stumbling along the last pair of the small stairs that went to the little room in front of me, but much to my surprise, after Ryu told them not to worry, they obliged, They sat back again, from what I get from the silhouettes of the dim lighted room. My heart was still pounding, but it settled just to shock me. It immediately stopped after I confirmed that they weren't going to come out… I was getting better at this…

'… _To close… WAYYYY to close_' I thought, gritting my teeth together, as I tried to get up without to much noise, they were already alerted, I knew it.

Is it me, or do your feet go numb as soon as you go into slight shock?

Well, I managed to get down from the _VERY_ slippery steps with ought _THAT MUCH _trouble, to an extent. But I still needed to get out of here, if I didn't, hell, anything could happen. And if he knew them all correctly…

_It probably will_.

I gripped the wood hard, ignoring the scratches and dents I was leaving, and propelled myself down the wax-feeling wooden floor, easily making no _proper_ sound. Sifting my weight, I stood up, and ran down the halls, feeling a sickening bittersweet taste of achievement. '_And so, I had gotten out of that sticky situation, but what would happen now_, _I wouldn't want to know… really… actually…_'

"-'Don't WANT to know,' be a better way to express it" I mussed silently to myself as I silently glided down the halls, and into the room I had left all my things, hurriedly made a u-turn to the tables, papers, desk, chest…

_What was he doing, he didn't know_.

I grabbed random things, mind in his control, but body that was struggling to compute, to understand what needed to be done, as if moving on its own accord…

'_No time to think like that! Time to get out of this house, and think of a plan after it_' my mind yelled as I grabbed my bag, my laptop, my books…

_Didn't make any sense_.

Everything he was doing at the moment to sense to him, how he was dead set on leaving, or how the simple thrase made him so… edgy. Like the thought of Hao was the impurest thing he'd ever do, _done_. He didn't understand the undeniable need to leave, to run away, go get out of this demented house, not even the thought to Yoh was keeping him _straight_.

_Yoh_…

I gasped inwardly, _I was leaving Yoh_… I don't know the reason, but that made me drop everything I had in my hands, I heard the shatter of glass, but that didn't face me, as they fell limp at both my sides. I don't know, but the thought just made me even more confused with myself then I already was. The way I was acting… it was bizarre. But the sound of footsteps snapped me from my self-prone coma, short as it was, the footsteps were light, and probably far away, but I wouldn't expect it, this house is filled with super-humans, or something very close to them. I grabbed my remaining necessities, and ran out the door, bags in hand.

As I ran down the halls, passed all the rooms, went in the kitchen, ran across the hidden living room, and out the main door, I only accelerated, every time I heard a small voice, or a light step, even if this place was haunted, no ghost bothered them anymore, they only napped, was what they did. But that aside, it must of looked so bizarre, a 'little boy' running down the streets, with bags in hand, coming from the direction of the haunted inn, must of thought I was a boy that was dared to spend a night, not that Anna would let that happen… He'd have to pay with his life.

Living at the inn as a servant, probably for _the kid_…

I shook my head, trying to get the annoying thoughts out of my head, only to succeed at bumping into a steel pole, making me act as if intoxicated, which had _magically _moved in my way…

_No, seriously._

As I snapped out of my daze, and rubbed were the new bruise was, I stepped into a little park, small enough to be silent, big enough to actually _find_, it was fairly nice place to go.

_When you don't know_ were _to go_.

I walked around, looking at every tree and flower in sight, awestruck as how this little patch of land seemed to be untouched, no trash, no people (it was nighttime), no stress… no worries… That's what this park radiated.

Like lots of _nice green radioactive_ nuclear waste.

I smirked lightly to myself as I joked with myself, crazy as it sounds. But I noticed something, apart from the lack of humans; there were no animals either….

'_Odd_…'

I walked even further in into the small brush, farther and farther, deeper and deeper… Actually, no, kidding I just walked under a tree, with and old looking bench, rusty at its metal handles, and slightly rotten at its wood. I looked up, for only a moment and noticed something peculiar… For some odd unknown reason, inside the little park, the stars were visible, shinning very brightly, not something I've seen ever in my life. I sat down on the bench, smiling, even if I was in a bizarre situation, knowing not to what I had to do, the sight of all the stars made me calm, something I never _really_ thought possible… anymore.

I signed and relaxed under the moonlights glow, making my feel all fuzzy inside, the feeling I normally got when I was with-…

I sign deeper this time, as a wave of depression hit me full on, it was annoying, how he couldn't have his relaxation before his brain ruined it for him… so very annoying.

As I contemplated that, I sat up right, then leaned forward, crossing my legs, leaning against my hand, and frowning, disappointed with all that was happening. Anna and baby must not equal 'correct' in fates mind, I presume. '_Probably some middle aged kid that doesn't like when things go in their _correct_ way_…'

_Nah_, a girly voice interrupted my thoughts, _maybe it's just that you make it extra fun for whoever to make your life interesting_… _fun, that is_…

I cringed, that frilly little voice again, always teasing me, to a point, I actually think it may be real… Oh, hell, going crazy again. I punched my temple… then fell to the floor, breaking _something_ upon impact…

I scowled as I heard giggles; as they slowly began to fade, but the fact that happens at the worst possible times unnerve me… very much…

After a while of hating myself inner voice (a girly one at that), and trying, and failing, to find were I hurt myself, I walked around the park, frowning at the lack of animal life.

'_Come on, Manta, its_…' I look at my watch and swing my head back, exasperated, '_2 in morning, don't be a stupid, and think things throw, its very late, there all sleeping… I hope…_'

My frown deepens as the moon hid behind the clouds, making it impossible to see. I signed again and sat on the ground, unwilling to kill myself if I couldn't see, seeing as it was easy to fall and break my head…

'_Not that I'm important… I believe… a few bits… maybe_…' I sign again, and flopped onto the ground, slightly happy I didn't collide with a jagged rock of some sort…

I just staid there for a while, smelling the nice aroma of flowers and fresh air, smiling as I felt the wind blow away my worries, making it ohhh sooooo _nice_. But that didn't last, for as soon as the relaxation came, again, I heard a voice, a soft one, but sounding very much so… wicked… yet kind at the same time. It sounded like it was only a whisper, but I heard it anyway, and the more I sat there and did nothing, leasing and painfully straining my ear so I could hear the strange combination of noise.

"… _Forever… now and now… never stop… it's… it's here… come now… now… succeed… now… forever…-ver… now…you will… see_…" It made my ear hurt more than it ever had, but I was able to hear a little bits and peaces of it, and by it sounded, it was either a rant, with lots of 'now's or a speech. I decided ranting of a speech, since it seemed more humorous that way. I stood up, deadset on following the noise, even if it could get me killed, stupid, but something made me do it, something was drawing me in…

As I walked I didn't notice the large rock in my way, and tripped against it, falling on the ground, headfirst. My eye twitched at the irony. '_Grrrrrrrreeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaat, now what? A troop of weird face painted people asking me if I needed help_…?' I then heard a russle in the bushes, this made me panic, I tried to get up, but fell again with all the mud that surrounded the damned rock…

As the the russle grew so did the beating of my heart beat, so much that I felt it hammering against my rib-cage, pins and needles inside my chest, prickling my whole body with the power to either fly or fight…. Then, figures appeared in front of me, jumping out of the bushes, surrounded me, impossible to fight…

When isn't it?

The one standing in front of my eyed me incredulously, examining me from all directions, not exactly face painted, but creeping me out all the same… What he did next surprised me. Not the normal thing people do, if anymore.

He poked me with a stick.

And he didn't stop, poking faster and faster, grinning first, giggling second, full out '_mad_' laughing third, making me shift strangely in my strange situation, but the shifting in motions only made more of the group pick up sticks and begin to poke me… What is this, how come, even if I might die, they poke me with sticks? It made no sense.

It made him feel… awkward.

I growled, making them all chuckle or giggle, this only made me feel worse then before. What they had in mind? All with these lunatics "traumatizing" me, a _freaking CRAZY _person! '_All these crazy bastards... what the hell is this anyway? A form of humiliating? Or are they asking me for brunch_?!' I sarcastically remarked, finding it me to swat all the hands and sticks away, making them all mock-gasp at me, suppressing more giggles.

Yes, my life was insane.

'_And impossible, too_ ' I scowled as they all began to dance and chant around me, giggling and making 'boo'-ing sounds, like they thought I was a little kid scared of ghosts.

I ain't anymore.

Much, anyway.

I felt myself send out a sharpened glare, making them all 'Ooooooh' and begin to laugh, making non Japanese comments, and from what I picked up, insulting my furiosity since I was so small, but one really pissed me off.

Really, it did.

"_This little boy, heheh, so very small_," Said one of the cockier ones, making Winnie sounds of pride, to me he sounding like an ugly as hell horse. "_So very…. Small! Yes, so small he could be my servant be with me and be in a harem so dumb also, see_?" He pointed to my smaller than normal body, making no reference to how smart I was or looked, then began to laugh, picked up a stick and pokes me once again. What he said next made me explode.

"_This little boy… I bet he doesn't have a family! He's a servant, and a whore too I bet he cleans his teeth on_-" He did get that far.

A slapping sound came and went, all eyes on me. "_Shut the fuck up! I just came here for a walk, to easy my spirit, and you _RUIN_ it! Like you never had something to do_!" I growled out in the simplest words of their language, sickened that I had to speak it, but pleased they'd get I got what they were saying, or that it meant I was smarter then them. I then turned to who first insulted me, grinning sourly and keeping an evil face on, which I had learned from seeing Ren so much. "_And you! Ya think you can just poke anyone you want?! Not only did it not make sense, but out of nowhere, too! So be damned you bipolar schizophrenic little psycho_!" Most of them then glared at me, except a red haired woman, that smiled and then crouched beside me, telling the others it was alright, and that she may have had poked me, but all in good fun, and didn't try to cause me harm, saying they should take me back and disinfect the scratches and such. She seemed kind, but her voice reminded me of the little voice that always teases me, so much so, to a sort of trauma, parse.

They all bowed and cleaned the place up, throwing the branches beside the tress, and sweeping the mud of with there hands, for some odd reason, and after that, she told me to come with her, at the front of the line. She seemed to like me…

She smiled at me, as we passed rows upon rows of trees, seemed that the 'little park' wasn't that little, nor was it a park. I had intriquete passages along the trees, as if they had digged up dirt, then made tunnel looking streets, not really streets at all, and the trees were the things that stopped helicopters and the like from seeing anything. I raised an eyebrow, both at her kindness and the rows of tree tunnels. Her smile turned into a grin as she watched me, perfectly passing the roads with ought falling over, even if she had all the concentration on me.

"Um, were are we going" I said in there language sluggishly, high noting every low note, and getting the syllables wrong, the others snorted, but she smiled, once more.

"You need not speak a language you do not know, little one" She ruffled my fair, even after my eyes went wide. She knew my language? All along? "Yes, child, I know Japanese, but it seems you do not know mine very well." She said, eyes filled to the brim with a strange type of joy, seeming to do mental black flips as she talked to me, obviously liking to speak to people that knew Japanese, well that, or very small people.

Then it hit me.

"You can read my mind?" Yes, I knew people could do that, but one more than Hao or Anna…? She didn't seem angered, but happy to answer my questions.

"Yes, young boy, but only what you mentally ask yourself, not what you secretly see," Her smiles always seemed happy and light, glowing with happiness. "So don't worry about your inner thoughts or desires…_ I know them already anyway_" What she said last I couldn't quite catch, but before I could ask her many of them said.

"_Were here._"

--

**Well, I was going to do more, and meet the merry little leader of them all, but I decided best leave it at that. More drama that way.**

**I demand more reviews! See? More words! Gimme my reviews!**

**All so, if you think you'd like to be part of the little group, just tell. (Sorry Felix, your ways are just to fun)**

**Bye ya'll! Indigo, not here AWAY!**


	3. Chap 3: Nonsense is there form of joking

**This chappy is in honor to the only one that reads, ****X-Ruby-X****,**** and all that did, why didn't ya review? HUH?!**

**I just noticed, no disclaimer……………….. bah. I don't see why. **

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)Hitaus(

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The moment I saw how expansive the place was, my jaw met the floor, greeted it, but in a rude way.

It was the biggest under earth city I've seen in my life, only one at that, filled with colorful-colored tents, or better yet, tailor-made housing for the certain individuals that happened to live on the soft, brown covered ground. It was filled with streams of people, making certain items, cooking or playing with each other. There seemed to be lots of families, happily chatting with each other, while moiling the butter, or whatever they were doing. It radiated happiness and individuality, making the whole city seemed better than it looked. And as if this city always been here, the people seemed to not mind the fact they lived under huge roots, and in an area were humans should never live, at least, that's what they tell you. Most people would faint by its beauty.

I just turned and gave the kind lady a raised eyebrow.

She chuckled and moved me to the back, a hand silently leading me, and always being at my shoulder, positioning me at the back as she smiled and explained silently to me what was everything I was seeing; the tents, the water coming out of a hole in the walls, and the fact that everyone didn't mind me… much.

I grew onto this conclusion by all the edgy stares the back of my head was getting. They seemed not to appreciate I was there with them. The lady seemed to notice this, because she gave me a wry smile and silently glared at the other people, this seemed out of character for her, but the people and there stares, just calmed and relaxed as soon as the lady gave them that warning glare, for some bizarre reason.

Maybe this was her way of guiding the other people too.

We stopped abruptly at a lilac colored tent, which must of belonged to the lady, because all of the people in front suddenly stopped and circled the tent, edgy eyes as well, like the ones of the villagers. The lady grabbed my hand, dropping her other of my shoulder and pulled me inside the as-if-glowing tent. She motioned me to sit in the middle of the strangely big tent, and advised me to be perfectly still.

I watched as she pulled out a big and old looking trunk out of the corner filled with strange artifacts and dropped it on the floor, by the way she was acting, she was nervous for something, as well. But much less then everyone else.

She told me to be silent, as if she knew I was going to ask something, probably did, and opened the old, shaggy looking trunk. Inside were an assortment of potions and the like, marked by dry black ink, in some other form of writing, as it was in a language I didn't know. Probably the lost writing to go with the weird language.

She tapped my head, teasing smirk-pout on her lips, as she patted my brown shaggy locks on my head. "I have a weird _language_? I'm_ soooooooooooo _sad." She mocked whined, playing with me to alleviate my thoughts, making swirling motions with her hand. She moved the potions closer to me, and put a hand in her hair, in mock-despair. "Oh, woe, whatever could a silly person like I could do?"

I grinned, even if she told me to be quiet, I whispered a sentence as she pulled out certain potions. "Oh? Sorry, I was trying to say, that your _sooooooooooooooooo_ bizarre, that your language is _weird_ next t to it" I mock-smirked as she pouted even more, opening the sealed bottles with her teeth. She pouted as she couldn't open one, but grinned as she looked at me. "So? My bizarreness is the play of the city." She smiled as she finally could open the bottle. "So no screwed words, my helpful talker." She said as she handed me a potion.

I grabbed the potion, looked inside it, and gave her an incredulous look. "What am I supposed to do with this?" I asked, dropping the playful demeanor.

She smiled again, earning back some maturity and replied. "Drink it, I suppose," she smiled, brushing the bangs from my face.

I knew my expression might have looked rather crooked, as my face felt oddly annoying, as she gave me such a strait and simplistic answer.

She saw my reaction and shook her head, motioning me to the small hole in the tent, and instructed me to see in through it. I saw millions of people, or what seemed a million, staring warningly at the lilac tent I currently residing in, and I saw how very scared or wary they were at my presence, as they probably bottle it up as soon as word came in about my entrance. I look back to her, to be smiling sadly, putting back one of her red bangs.

She motioned me again to the center, and as I got up and sat back again, she began to say, silently so no one heard. "See, everyone is very wary, very very wary, and if you don't take this, we'll have an epidemic of insomnia." She said, looking at me, some of her hidden façade showing.

She was tired.

I frowned; she seemed so very… elderly looking at the moment, not in the normal way, but in the sickly way. She seemed so very saddening, as if she worked everyday, every second to be were she was now. And were was she? She was next to a small teenager she didn't know was even a teenager. I looked at the bottle in my hands, looked at her tired, sad eyes, and drank it one gulp. It tasted oddly good for something that could kill me.

Hell, I didn't even know what it was.

When I stopped gulping it down, I slammed it on the ground, similarly to how a man in a movie slammed the glass of liquor he had in his hand and demand another, like that, but, I didn't ask for more. If I did, I really would seem like my give-take similarities. I felt a rush of emotions hit me, these emotions made me want to curl into myself, but yet, my demeanor didn't change. I knew how to push things aside as push 'comes to chove.

As the feeling began to numb, I raised my head to look at the ladies face. As I looked into her face, all early signs of fatigue left her face, her eyes, which seemed to glow in their normal way again, and so, that made me smile. This smile made her grin, as she hugged me and told me to get up. As she put it, we needed to get me new clothing. Why new clothing, I didn't know, but if it made all the stares stop, I'd be happy to do what she says.

They were getting to me after all.

She grabbed a discarded nun-looking cloth, which I now notice she was always wearing, and told me to grab my bags.

As soon as I was finished, we walked out the tents opening, to be welcomed to stares, stares, and more stares. They immediately began to do something else as soon as we came out, shuffling around and raising dust in the air. I sneezed.

"Come, we must go to the tailor." She told me, putting a hand once again on my shoulder, motioning me around the various tents and the like, glaring at all she saw stare.

I looked around more, eyes growing wide at all I saw. Nothing was different from my type of world, except everything was refined and non harmful to anything. I could describe it, but it would just confuse anyone that hasn't seen it. She smiled, every second gaining more of her radiating joy and warmth. She pulled me and guided me to a larger than normal brown tan tent. She nudged me in, smiling in reassuring way. And I noticed, the more I stayed here, the more I trusted her.

Bad, _bad_ idea.

I slowly walked into the flaps of the large tent, popping my head in to see a few thousand people, crammed up into the large, but not_ that _large tent. Everyone was talking, most happy and bringing happiness, the rest restless, as if cooped up there for a long time. But, as soon as my presence was know, all stopped and looked at me, shaky all of a sudden.

The receptionist, not even looking at me as she beckons me over, reading and signing various papers. I walked inside, looking into everyone's face, some looked away, some looked at me, wide eyed, as I passed them all to get to the receptionist. As soon as I got close enough to hit, she dropped all the papers and smiled weakly at me, loosing that stereotypical receptionist demeanor. She got up and motioned me into another room, sitting me on an open-'roofed' room, filled with drapes and types of silk.

She told me to sit on the colorful beaded mats, and asked, more so demanded, me to stay still while she called and got the tailor, as soon as possible. As I went to sit, I wondered why she had dismissed all the people before me, and jumping at the chance of giving me new clothing, as if my clothing had been the problem all along…

Probably was.

I signed as I drummed my fingers on the dusted floor, making myself comfortable, and counted all the pots in the room.

As soon as I counted 213, a elderly woman came in, dressed in blacks and reds, beads every ware, marking her demented in my mind.

She walked around the room, ignoring me, taking the masking tape from the desks around the room, taking the garments and beads from compartments on the wall, and taking a rack in her hands. She looked odd since it looked like a monster of fabric.

I was inclined just to stare.

She kept her ignoring till I felt a stare forced on my skull…

She suddenly looked at me, wary eyes I have come used to seeing, not accepting, but seeing. She walked over and shut my mouth with the rack, making me fall out of my stupor I had as I absently waited for her to finish. Maybe I looked like a… well…

"What's your name" I stopped rubbing my chin and looked at her again, silently surprised she said something out of nowhere, and the fact that little frail body made my jaw hurt, ironic, ain't it? My eyebrows knitted together, as I, with ought noting, had lost my train in thought. "What?"

"Your name, boy, the name you rather go by, your _name_," she repeated, albeit annoyed. She put her attention back on the fabrics and racks. I looked back at her, and noticed as she moved her hands in a 'go-on' motion, back turned to me. I swallowed.

As I moved absently, feet numbing again for not doing much, and then responded, silently, "Manta…"

She looked back, smirking in an amused way. "Yes, boy?" She probably heard, but was inclined to make me say it again, making me squirm, why? I don't know anymore.

"Manta." I said louder, with more confidence, albeit, lacking the 'confidence' part.

She looked back again, broad smirk on her face, probably enjoying this, she then got back to her work, not before mumbling. "_Good_." As if I didn't know, couldn't hear her.

As soon as my brain felt like it had been fried, the old lady came, smile on her face, as she grabbed many blue and brown materials, leaving the ones she earlier brought out, and put it on the table next to me. She smiled, willing herself not to smirk as she motioned me to stand up.

As I did, I felt my shirt being taken of; this didn't go well with me. I instantly slapped the hand away and nudged myself into a corner. She signed and placed all the other materials on the table. She pointed to the corner suddenly smirking again, before saying. 'That's were the human-eating rats live." She said casually, ignoring I might just die.

My eyes widen as I got up, spotted some rats, and ran again into the middle, were a smirking lady resided. She nudged on a smirk as she grabbed some of the masking tape and told me, once again, to sit down. I did so obediently, because now I knew why her customers came back, threatening them with her sick rats. '_I mean, who wouldn't come to someone that could kill you if she wanted to_?' I thought bitterly, head dropping as I waited and waited.

"Don't move," She said as she began to measure and do her thing, me just staying there, staring of to the corner…

As soon as she was done, she began to sow, and not like a normal person would, she did it so fast, I almost lost my train of thought on why she had the rats. When she finished, she laid out many of the clothing I was forced to ware, and told me she would leave, since I made my point I was squeamish. This should have appeased me, but did the opposite, just made my heart go into frilly loop. I didn't know why, but it made me think of the worst. And I'm not good at my worst…

Is it me, or am I going crazy?

It felt like it, since my train of thoughts mostly concentrated on paranoia now, which, thought common, was being very… well… bad, this past few hours, as if my mind was being sucked into no goodness… '_Wha_? _Were did _that_ come from_…'

It felt like my IQ was drooping, but nonetheless, I began to change. I choose a brown-top, made from what seemed was an animals hide, why I chose it was I mystery, and some tan shorts, and dark brown boots. Why I choose all this, really, was another _mystery _to me.

I walked out the room, to be inspected by the other people, surprisingly; the all nodded and went to do what they were earlier doing. 'It was the clothing after all" I smirked ironically to myself as I walked out, and spotted the lady, talking to some children, all a few years younger than me. As soon as they saw me, the girls giggled, some just stared, the guys send me smirks, except a few that didn't, then they all ran away, smiling happily and chatting excitingly. The lady smiled, and moved her head in a way that told me to come with her.

I walked over, not cautiously like I normally did, and sat on a worn down stump, as she herself giggled and sat with me. She seemed much more friendly, even if she started as the most of them all, to when I changed wardrobe, but she reached to get the bag I had with me all along, but forgot about it, then put in on her lap, smiling, at what, I didn't know.

Didn't need to think, she later told me why.

"Manta, your older than you look, aren't you." She said, more like as statement, looking at the moon, ignoring the fact she hit the nail on the head. I turned to her; surprised, open my mouth to speak, closed it, and then nodded. She smiled at me again, but it seemed more like a frown, she looked at the laptop on her lap, and said something I couldn't quite hear, even if I was right next to her. "_Sad, that means I couldn't adopt you_" As soon as I open my mouth to tell her to repeat, many of the men from before came, stopping abruptly in front of us, looking as if the ran half an mile, or more, to get to us, sweating bodily functions in there haste.

The lady, smiles suddenly gone, went into a serious expression, eyes edging in a way that told me things aren't good, or something important was in the mist.

The men looked upwards, faces grim, but that the emotions I could gather, as they said in another language at the lady I have gotten fonder of. She sneered and told the men to go somewhere, were I know. She looked back at me, and told me to come along. As soon as I got from the stump, she walked, more like runned, to her destination, me struggling to keep up. Before we got anywhere near were she wanted to go, she stopped abruptly and stood in my way, me, in my running, crashed into her, falling back and falling on a few rocks. I looked up to her, rubbing my bum, stooping everything as soon as I saw her glare, a serious glare, so edgy; I almost forgot I'm not afraid of the person. She helped me up, not before muttering under her breath. "Manta, act as if your afraid of me," She looks around staring at the people next to her, "They say that if they know that your not a prisoner, I might get jailed, and a worse destiny for you" Suddenly she dropped the mean demeanor and smiled at me, making me believe she was slightly bipolar, or at least, forced to be. She lead me to a large camp looking ground, right in the middle of it all, filled with long wooden tables, stretching out for miles. 13 tables in all, she lead me to the point were one could see a throne, made from woods and metals, with small wooden spaces, probably for the ones in high status.

To my surprise she lead me to the nearest seats to the throne, in the middle table, lined with the throne perfectly, for the _really_ high ranking officers. She told me to sit down, which I did, while I look around every single thing, perplext to why I could sit at the very front rows since I wasn't even _part _of here. The lady looked back, and told me to be quiet, how, I didn't know. Since I _was_ being quiet. She smiled at me, putting a finger on her lips. "Mentally quiet, Manta." When she said that, I felt the undying need to raise an eyebrow, but didn't, my face was now scrunched up since I've done so many emotions in the coarse of one day. '_Uhhhh…. And I feel a had-ache coming on_' I mentally cursed at the fact, but didn't do anything else because lady gave me a glare, probably hearing that.

Lady leaned in, putting a hand on my ear, as in to tell me a secret. "Manta…………….. It's time," She said, pulling away and drumming her slender fingers on the wood. I pushed myself back, when many of the chatter died out, and then came what seemed to be the 'King' or 'Lord' of them all, a figure came near to the fir, slowly leaving shadowy traces, then I saw what made my eyes go wide. As the figure laid his eyes on me. Making me almost fall from my chair.

_It couldn't be… Shouldn't be_!

"Well, hello there, Manta"

My breath hitched in my throat.

_...Hao_...

--

**Guess. It's easy, really... actually, no, I'll put it in anyway.**

**Well, this for me seems rushed, but I hope ya all like it.**

**For the tables, think Harry Potter ones. If you don't know who that is, then don't bother me about it.**

**And if you want to be part of the group of people in the 'little' comunity, just asks? Anyone (except, 'the lady') is up for grabs, you could be the pocky person for all I care... and want...**

**Anyway, if theres anything you don't understand, just ask, okay?**

**Indigo, out. (Corny ain't it?)**


	4. Chap 4: Whole lots of nonsense

**This is slightly on a lighter mood and slightly out-of-character**

**Warning: Lotsa language. But STILL Teen. **

**I think it's not my best work, but a special someone told me it was expertly done, so I'mma happy.**

**I just update to be -_first_- on the first page… and because a longer fic gives more reviews… (What? That's a full-blown fact. You wouldn't read something 274 words if it were nothing entertaining, you'd just ignore it.)… If anyone has exactly 274 worded drabble, don't be mad D:… Yesh…**

**--**

Hitaus

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…I'm getting to old for this.

In front of me was what most thought dead, sir _flippin_' Hao Asakura, happy and snarky as ever. Smiling at me from the large throne he currently was sitting on, in a slacker-king kind of position, light-yet-heavy amused look on, raised eyebrow and everything. If only I had my arrogant metre with me.

I would of gotten a coupon.

For a while I just sat there, looking blankly at every single person in my line of sight, mouth slightly agape as I feel like just collapsing on the floor.

I would of done that if I didn't know Hao would most likely press the Lady to why I was here. I didn't want that.

Help soon came in the form of need from breath as I let out the carbon in my mouth and let out a long, heavy sign, taking a long stride of oxygen as I went, then, I just looked at Hao, blankly, making my best 'not-amused' face, trying to keep my non-existing cool.

"So, what cha want, _Hao_?" I said, dripping as much sarcasm withought making it obvious, raising an eyebrow as I waited for him to respond.

He just sniggered, dropping the smile and giving me that god-awful smirk of his, tipping his head to the side, making his hair fall like an avalanche of _puke_, while tapping the gold plating of his very expensive looking _chair_. I wished that if I could see this sight again, it wouldn't be on my dead-day. It would probably be.

Not today, I hope.

"Oh? Aren't I aloud to say hello…? Not even to my little baby brother's best friend?" He said this, while his smirk just enlarged, his eyes glowed with twisted happiness and joy, making even scarier was that of the two twin torches that made his face glow in the dark nice darkness. "I think I'm aloud… correct Spirit of fire?" He stayed there faking making a long call with his hand, as the Spirit of fire appeared beside his master, nodding a quick 'fake' approval to what his master had just said. I feel my blood go numb; this was not good.

I gritted my teeth, leaning into the Lady, which I forgot was there, when I leaned my head back, I saw how she, and probably everyone else, was glaring samurai swords at me, not daggers, swords; because if it were anything else, they'll seppuku themselves (1). What unnerved me most, it seemed that I've been glared at every single second, even before I opened my mouth to respond to Hao, which made me feel like a twit for not noticing it, and a fool for twitching and whimpering, not at Hao, but a Lady I grew to_ like_, and in such a short time too. But nothings perfect, especially how things were going. I pulled my head to the front again, and copied everyone else; I glared at who needed to glare to, mister big man on campus.

Said big man on campus was almost full out laughing at my dilemma right now, teeth visible as he looked like he was trying to eat his lower chin, while hiccupping no less. He was pretty much killed my self confidence, at the moment I had had enough, but something within me just didn't want to cave in to such a person such as-

I felt my head being knocked to the side, and blunt object against my head, snapping my eyes open, hanging that thought to waist.

I've had it.

I snapped my head back to a boasting pocky guy, the same damned guy that insulted me from before, I looked at the ground, my eyes went enraged. A shoe? A FRIKING METAL SHOE?! Oh no, this guy could have cracked my damn head! And a shoe… ohhh…

My head most of probably should of gotten a concussion.

"STOP IT! I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO STOP BEING AN ASS!" I barked at the boasting man, which looked back from his position in the hands of young woman and tried to run out the door. If I could of helped it, I would of broken the whole ground to get to the guy. "Oh? Now you leave…? When I decided to 'man-up'? That's a whole lode of bull! HOW DARE YOU DESIDE TO HARM THEN FLEE!! YOU'RE HALF THE MAN ANYONE WAS OR COULD BE, YOU STUPID SHITTY-!!" I raged on till full-blown laughter hit my ears, the sound of twisted laughter. I turned back to the man that started my anger, or atleast helped create it. I stared at him, as he chuckled and snorted, hands on his stomach, as if trying to hold the 'funny' away. It didn't work to amuse me.

"…Shut it… Shut up!" I heard a whole assembly gasp in unison, as if never hearing someone. This was me being angry, which was hard at all to do. And I had difficulties screaming at this one, the chance of death lingering in my mind, brain stating not to do this, another part of me raging me on, as the light adrediline entered my system as I knitted my brows together and gritted my teeth. 'This is insane… yet I feel like seeing that face twist into anger would be worth it…' I was snide about it, too.

"…You… You never could understand… I hate you Hao… I hate you right now" For some reason, I couldn't make the correct words come to my mouth, making it hard to be angry, even if I felt rage. I just felt like it was stupid for me to try, and let me tell you, that are a sucky emotion to feel. It was hard to bark on, so my mouth stayed silent and low, making it hard to sound convincing at all. So I decided, it would be better if I just lay it out there. I breathed in and out, feeling all eyes on me, most amused that I tried, my whole body wavered, it seemed so surreal to try and scream all these annoying and confusing memories and feelings. My heart was suddenly inflamed again, as I hyperventilated, feeling crushing sense of rage making my whole body shake.

It's go time.

I snarled as my hands balled into fists as I glared at the surely amused 'king' waiting for his 'jester' to 'amuse' him, or he'll get _hanged_. I'll show you who to get amused at. I walked on till I was right up in front were Hao was, trying to reject the fore bonding feeling to chicken out, but my pride, and something else, wouldn't let me. He smirked, making a gesture to 'go on'. This feeling in my gut… damn, it hurt to think.

So I won't

"You… I don't know… but…," This felt so weird, every time I opened my mouth, I couldn't say a thing, my breath hitched. Damn, it felt like I was confessing to someone… "Ohhhhhhh… to the fuck with it! I can't take this! The feeling of being wrong… I won't take it! I won't take this feeling that what I'm doing, what I've wanted to do is wrong… DAMNIT HAO! You and all your shit have left me dazed and confused, angry… with rage… with so much rage it burns!" My hands began to flex in a fore bonding way, making sure to be ready to do anything if the moment decided to, I crunched my eyes closed, balling my hands into tighter fists, crunching up, then letting it all go… Basically, I exploded and imploded at the same time. "I CAN'T TAKE IT! YOU STAY INFRONT OF ME AND MOCK ME! THROW YOUR SHIT IN MY FACE!!… Can't you see my anger…? CAN'T YOU _FUCKING_ SEE IT!?" I grimaced, '_that _did _sound like an confession… damn it all… damn it all to hell_!' I did a double-take. '_And here I thought I _wasn't_ going to think_.' My grimace upgraded, ten fold. I sign, sucking precious precious air.

I looked upward, expecting a cruel sadistic twisted smile, or atleast a little amused Asakura. What I got pretty much made me mentally choke.

A glaring Hao, not amused _at all_.

A snarl appeared on his face, glaring at me, suddenly turning very serious. Form having straighten out on his chair, hands on his chest, fingers intertwined, silent pitying glances from those around him, looking as if they knew what was going to happen.

So did I.

I stood there as he got up from his chair, went infront of me, and pulled me on the stand.

This is not going to end well.

He gave me a sarcastic smile, pointing outward to all the people here, smile stretching out as far as his skin would aloud, then making a gesture to himself. "Ya hate me, huh? Well, that's what you said to all the thousands of people here, but I digress." He said, eyes sharpening as he saw people try to leave the grounds, but let it go. "And by the looks of things…"

Pause.

"Your envious of someone"

If I were in water, I would of drowned.

My mouth opened and closed, like a fish out of water… a fish out of water that had just drowned. When he said this, I didn't know what to think, my mind twisted the words, trying to make the connections, and depriving itself from thought. It felt like back at the inn all over again. I cringed.

Sadly for me, when someone's holding you, or next to your face, _and_ can read your mind, and had something against you, never ever cringe.

So, yes, he noticed.

Not only noticed, but smirked at my misfortune, praying at the fact I mentally slipped…

He smiled, a little bit sweeter, yet a tiny bit sour. I felt a bomb of sympathy hit me… on the head. "So that's it," he smoothed out the hairs on my head, which had sprang up and crazy-fied in my many moments of emotional explosions, giddily stroking my back, even IF they were thousands- wait. I look back, to see most, not all, had left, most were looking back, grinning and gossiping. And in one of the mobs, I saw the Lady. My heart sank.

What did she think of me now?

I didn't have time to linger in these thoughts, as Hao pressed on, pinching me a bit on the back. I looked back at him, face scrunched up in confusion. He chuckled, gaining back his snide laugh.

Joy.

"Well, as it seems you'd rather put attention to Malaunu-san then I… I believe you need your courters…Fin! Get Manta-chan to his… new… home…" For some reason, that didn't sound good.

Suddenly a hyper active young blue haired teen plopped out the crowd of guards and bystanders, jumping up and down as he made his way to his 'beloved' king. He was clad in rags, but rags out of silk. Was that even possible? Being in rags yet not being a 'peasant'… I'm thinking too much into things…

Even so, he bowed deeply when he came to Hao, and made a small solute when he faced me.

Hao smiled warmly, the boy, Fin, just squealed. "Fin. You have that order," He said, tone with optimism… I swear, I'm thinking _waaaaaaayyyyy_ too much into things.

The boy, again, Fin, eyes glowed with happiness, seeming to sparkle, but what caught me of guard is _how_ loyal he _seemed_ to be. He picked up the thoughts in my head and began to open his mouth and make words come out. "Ok, master Hao, lucky to be in your service." He chirped, then grabbed my hand and propelled out of the grounds.

Later on, my mind was screwed up by the high velocity. Stupid superhuman blue haired boy.

As I grew to be able to comprehend the moving colors and shapes around me, he made a full on stop, chirping chitter-chatter about how great Hao is. Telling me how fortunate and merciful I was for not being burned alive. 'So, just my luck.' I mentally challenged, and to my luck, he didn't seem to be able to read my mind.

After a while we came to many men in steel armor and clothing, on a pretty silver looking fountain, all of them had deep maroon scarlet, the definition of bulky, while only one, a young boy, older then Fin, thinner then any of the other men, which had lighter orange hair. He seemed to cast glances at me, and the first time I looked at him, and noticed his stares, he had waved and smiled, but was hit by one of the bulkier men, which silenced him. This confused me; did they dislike me enough to never make social contact with me?

Fin was talking to the bulky men, while I sat on the stony and ruff part of the chiseled silver, tapping my own fingers and swinging my legs, catching and throwing glances at the orange'd haired boy, which was catching mine and throwing at me as well. It was weird, everytime I would look, and he'd smile. It made me blush, I'm sure.

"So, Kianee, our getting a fascination with the new prisoner I see," I turned my head to see one of the bulkiest men, playing with the orange boy's locks. He pouted and slapped the land away. "No, but I'd like to be the one to give his new place to reside."

The other guard smirked. "Reside? Force to live would be more like it," The man spoke with a mocking-tone as he caught me staring. I gulped. "But I'm sure Hao has a plan for that" My eyes sharpened. Plan? Now I have to be on my toes.

Crap.

I signed and nodded, Fin squealed very loudly. I'm hating the guy at the moment. "Yay! Let's get you to your home, Manta-chan." I signed.

This was going to be a long day.

I snorted for the fourth time as one of the female 'bystanders', aka. 'Bob's' girlfriend tried to flirt with me. As if she'll get any 'information' from me. They've keep doing this, while we walked to wherever we, _I_, was supposed to go. I signed for the _fourth_ time this minute. And glowed at the fourth girl that asked me 'WERE IS THE FREAKING SOFT AND CREAMY?!'. I digress; the capilasation and exclamation points were not included.

They _freaking_ didn't have to be.

By what I thought, they were all trying for me to slip and say something 21st century related. Stupid, really. Why? Well… In one hand a have my clothing, utensils, books… in the other?

My _freaking_ laptop.

I snorted, that made them come to my attention, and in return, I almost got a fist. Reason to that is, well, nothing really, so what made him stop a few inches from my face was beyond me. He pulled away, never braking eye contact, smacking my head, but doing nothing else. I rubbed my head, glaring, as I walked infront, to be pulled back by the punk that hit me.

He looked murderous, but I decided to test him, so I just stood there, defiant. He had other ideas. "Listen here, _freak_, you're in my turf, and under Hao-sama's rules. So even if you're so called 'friends' come to get you. They'll die for it" He sniggered, snide about his comment. '_Oh, don't make me puke_' I told myself, feeling a weird shake of nausea hit me, it was that annoying. "And even if they try, they don't even know your gone" I snickered, and again, this didn't sit well with the brute, I just let my face smirk. "Oh? You think I don't know that? Don't make me sick. From the moment lady came in and rescued me from those _freaks_, I already knew I couldn't go back, or hope for a rescue," I said, slightly downcast inside, knowing that to be true all along, but didn't let it show. "So I know I can't do shit anymore, but do your job. Hao said to bring me to this place I'll be hold here for the rest of whatever, and probably die-" Insert raised eyebrow. "So I know, so let's get this over with and send me to wherever you send those damned by Hao." All are eyes sharpened, as everyone now knew that I was trouble. Good, now they'll fall for my trap… when I get one.

There must have been something in that potion. Really, there must have been.

The brute eyed me, then signed, gesturing the orange lad to come near. I watched, easily hiding all the weird things I felt. No really, I think Lady intoxicated me. Or atleast did something _not_ right. He told something in the redhead's era, the boy winced, and then he whispered to act, as he was the one calling the shots. I didn't mind.

He actually asked me.

As he walked, pointing everything out, I watched and chirped an answer when I need too, silenced myself when I spoke to loud. I walked faster when he something he liked, I tried to catch up when he dragged me along.

I mean it. That potion screwed my head.

It was like that till I saw a group of 'old'-ish ladies began to speak a little bit to loud about me, what I caught made me mad, probably due to that potion…

I should stop addressing that should I?

When the boy caught sight of the ladies, he lead me thought the crowds faster, pushing a few people in the process. '_That isn't going to get me points_' I huffed. I just looked at the ground, suddenly hearing every single person that had said something about me in my ear. And let me tell you, it's creepy for that to happen.

"Don't worry."

I looked up, startled, putting more attention to the stitches in my new shirt. "Sorry. What?" I heard, and I know he knows I heard him, but I couldn't bring myself to immediately respond.

He smiled, gesturing me to walk next to him, as I've either sat at the front or trailing behind. I did so, staring at him, waiting for him to respond. He grinned and put a hand around my neck, I instantly spazed and grew tensions, but after a while of silence, if you could call walking near shops that were gambling, 'quiet', … I relaxed, as he didn't _seem_ to want to hurt me… _yet_.

"Yeah… don't let them get to you. They just… well," he paused, trying to find the right word. "_Envious_."

I tried, but I'm sure my twisted in a look of flabbergasting. When he saw my face, he hurried to explain. "I mean, they just can't believe Hao-sama talked to you, not only that, but you tested him." He quipped and eyebrow, thinking expression on his face. He then turned to me, again smiling. "No one does that. Most want to." I raised an eyebrow, wasn't he scared he might get killed…?

He made a sharp left, I winced. '_That hurt_ '…. "Yes… well… Manta-kun… is there anything before you meet ya new pad." I raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "Yeah… can you tell me… were does lady stand?" The questions bothered me for a while, and I can't get the feeling that… I'm not aloud to ask. Again, I swear is the potion…

Sorry. It just annoys me.

His face went blank for a few seconds, and then he got a confused look, a hand traveled to scratch his head. "Lady?" He repeated, looking at me like a psycho.

I signed, I should of know, someone actually would of gotten that then they'd be me, or crazy. Exaggerate the word crazy.

"The girl…" I paused, and then refrained that. "The lady that had 'taken care of me' til she went all 'evil' eyes on me…" It was his turn to raise an eyebrow, which looked bizarre on him by the way, and then his mind seemed to click as he made face. "Ohhhh… Malaunu? Well… she's one of the spy- tree examiners! Those that inspect trees!" He hastily tried to cover up, even if I heard him. I tried not to give a pointed look.

I did.

He chuckled weakly before pointing to the boiling above us, he pointed around more and made a quick reply. "Sorry I watta go! This is ya home, hope ya like it!" He tried to smile; it ended up a twisted snarl. I looked up infront. A jail. Nice. He pushed me in. I let out a sign.

I can _feel _the weird from here.

As I expected, many weird people were here. It, for some reason, revived my fear of things I didn't know; because I shrieked everytime I saw an impossible creature, a murder scene, gang rape, and things I normally never saw.

It was being in the 'normal' world, yet dying in the weirdest one yet.

I felt my blood go cold when I saw a giant blue bear eating a guard.

Terrifying.

The guards were suspicious and cautious of me, even of they treated the air of death as something natural, it really made no sense, they had confiscated my clothing, and the one I had arrived with, and left me with my books and desktop.

Odd.

They passed me from door to door, me seeing men and women, clawing at the poles of steel that imprisoned them, screaming '_Kill the boy who is withought_…_thought_!' and '_Out! Out! I demand out_!' the guards just said things like '_Hi Fred_' or '_Good evening Miss_', it was very _odd_.

I found out my new number. It was 4.

Just 4.

Previous 4 was the man I saw being killed. Because he's spent 40 years, whoever not possible, in this hell hole and tried to run, but could.

I mean really odd.

I was pushed inside, it was cold and damp, only a few bug stickers on the floor, bars holding anything that was next, in my other 'room'.

Number 2.

In the small explanation was, never talk to anything that is in there, never feed it, never put your hand, never swear, scram or growl, never move a lot, don't inhale large amounts of air….

Basically, not living at all.

I scowled, hammering the bars with my leg.

This feeling wasn't getting better.

_Clank Hank Ga Ga Ga Ga Dantch Dantch_

I growled, number one I just broke…

It was getting annoying.

Hink Hink Hink Hink

Being capture I mean.

Gupt Gupt

It was like Anna's inn.

_Dou Dou Dou Dou Dou_….

Yeah, ANNA'S INN.

_Kunk Kunk Kunk_.

And not only that, but I have the chance to _die_ here.

_Chip Chip Chip Chip_…

Not that the chance is mutual at Anna's….

Cha-chiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiink!

But not AS great.

Lipting Lipting Lipting I have more chance to live, actually.Laplaplaplaplaplaplaplap

Here, I mean.

_Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-cha chank_!

Suddenly, the bars shrieked, my foot slipped, then ticked and immobilized me were I stand.

On the floor.

I looked around, confused, as I saw a light blunette girl infront of me, smiling as she put her hair in 3 more ponytails, like the other 2.

"Hello there."

Suddenly the dim lit room suddenly lost all light, and her face turned into dark red skin, eyes did to accompany the skin, pale hair turning spiky.

My eyes widen as she grew dark wings. She began to laugh loudly; she then stopped when she moved closer to me.

She smirked and pulled out a knife.

My eyes opened wider.

"**Wanna come play with me**?"

--

**Note that he is violent when people hit him.**

**Since this is a story and he is thinking so much, he believes he's 'thinking way to much into it' because, since his first pov, it seems to him that he is retelling things to himself. He finds this weird.**

**And because I just thought of it, Manta can't escape because its almost impossible for an outsider to leave the compound since they can get lost around the ALWAYS moving roots of the trees they reside in. So no escape. Explanations from me are the sense that doesn't…**

**NO! I didn't write that to make more words… shite.**

**That's a wrap. To end, nor not to end. That ain't a question. **

**(1) Sorry, I can't just say suicide could I?**

**I just noticed, I make Manta slightly bipolar.**

**Heh, sorry.**

**Indigo out.**


	5. Chap 5: Conceptual Lifespans

**Well, here's me hoping more people review**

**Well, here's me hoping more people review. But here's a chance to why. I'm gonna ask you, those that do read this story. Do you think that warning that it has something in particular is making me have almost to no reviews? Please, it _would_ nice if someone told me.**

**I've been told (by myself) that I have to leave a disclaimer…**

**This is the only one I'm doing in my whole career…**

**-If I owned shit, would you think that I'd wouldn't do and show-title: '-insert fandom here-: Hitaus after the long wait', or something cheesy like that…-**

**--**

\Hitaus/

--

If I could of stopped caring about life or death, it be best if it be now.

My eyes were almost watering by how large my eyes were stretching out, shock drilling inside my mind, heart making its own fractures by its continues death pleas, oh did I mention my eyes? They were **huge**, to a point it hurt.

It hurt, it should never hurt.

I tried to move myself to the wall, but the wall turned out to be thousands of spikes, and let me tell you, they were not there when I made sure.

The girl just giggled, knife being swung around, steel meeting concrete, never dulling the blade, as it sparkled, even if there was no light in the room. I felt charms (not beads, beads are overrated) of sweat drip down places were I didn't even know could sweat, feeling the same panic and terror as were all the times my life was risked for all the times I've knelt beside Yoh side in his quest of an easier life as shaman king, even if his insane fiancé still tortures him today.

…But that blade, it was tin, but without a wood or plastic handle, nor metal nor bronze, there was something about it. I stared at it, mesmerized almost, as she swung it, ignoring the fact she was at the moment standing still, sweet smile on her face, no, I just stared at it, hypnotizing me, brain going into a numb sense. Then it hit me, I felt a thousand blunt objects fall on me at the moment. My mouth was agape, my mind… shutting down…. I can't believe it… I could be…. It should be…. It was.

It was a scalpel.

She grinned now, with malicious intent. "Well, see you've noticed my toy…"

I mentally hyperventilated.

"**Wanna play doctor**?

--

If my eyes would have popped out of my cranium if they went any wider, I would make a world record for the biggest naturally induced eye popping to date. Yeah, people have told me that my eyes could go very wide, but this was ridiculous…

I almost had a knife to my lung for all holy things' sake.

I bit my lip in desperation, I could take death threats from a 400 pound brute but couldn't take a little girl, a child-toddler no less, and could make what was happening right there? Yeah, she had a scalpel, but what did that do?

It wasn't age, it was that she was holding the scalpel the way Faust once did.

That made all the difference.

Numbness now took me in the hands, this bothered me, and for a split second I looked down, my pupils shrunk.

My hands were turning blue… I had lost all my blood from my hands.

I mentally cursed, I tried to move my hands, and they just twitched. Again, I didn't notice her stopping her advancing; she just stood there giggling, flicking the knife between my eyes, and catching my attention once again. I gripped my focus on not letting go of the whining sound that almost escaped my throat. I drew a breath when she poked me slightly with her knife. It didn't take pass the skin, put it still made my hair go on edge.

She took time in her mental torture to examine her blade, flicking it between her fingers, blowing on it then passing it along my clothing, wiping it, always pressing the edge on my shoulders. "Well… let's see," She placed a hand on her head, closing her eyes as she swung the surgical-knife in between me and her, stabbing the air above her, the blade shined in the non existing twilight, flashing a dull green flavor, gripping my insides and turning into mush. "Your… to… cute…" She smiled and kissed my nose, smiled and promptly stabbed me in the heart.

My world dulled, my body numbed, I when to a nitemare-ish realm, Dream land. The last words I heard, as my hand twitched, but feeling the edge of the blade with my blood, fall distastefully on my hand, I heard. "In the heart… like in the real heart… like…him… right? Manta-kun…"

Then I fully died, in my own mind.

--

I spun and twirled, gripping this material in my hand, trying to brake free of this sheets that intertwined my mentality, by tin, braided purple rope, slashing away at my thinking, my mind.

I was so not going to like this.

My eyes snapped as I looked around the room, body still numb, head not wanting to work, I stared at all things ahead of me, glaring at the roof as my hand twitched as it tried to move. I sneered. 'No dice, but hey, at least Hao's not here- Oh my god! Am I still at the tribe?!' I looked around panic in my veins.

I heard footsteps. Down what I presumed were halls, light at first, then faster and louder. If only I could turn my head, I'd spin my head on all directions, unnerved. The I lifted my hand, slowly, painfully, gripping anything I could get my hands on; said thing was none other then a steel pole. I lifted myself up, cringing all the way, as it burned my skin, melted it was, so that I felt like I WAS under Hao's mercy… Noone wants to be under his mercy, because his mercy is death.

Then what's his death penalty?

Waves crashed inside my head, burning my scalp, making my head swoon on pain. Feelings rushed at me, making my brain a mess, making me fall back down, steel pole, which turned out to be my lifeline, with me, and for the second time today, or tomorrow, I don't know, into a dreamless sleep as the 'monitor's, that was an little object to make sure that I lived a bit more in my torture, and was spiritual orb, presence pretty much went flat-lined…

I moved my head to the side, my little steel pole, crushing me, as I saw the door open, or tent flap, anyone's guess, opened suddenly as I saw a figure, an outline, break it open screaming something as the lights went of.

In my mind that is… again.

--

I opened my eyes, for the, maybe, third time to date, but this time I didn't wake up to light red colors and painful yellows, but pale, stale white, and the smell of clean.

And let me tell you, I haven't missed the smell at all.

I groaned as I pulled myself up, ignore the sharp intake my back suddenly cried, I just shrugged it off. I looked around; it was so damn white my eyes bleed more then the time I was jumped over the hot springs.

Oh wait, I have already remembered that… my bad.

I signed; pulling myself up from the bed that was here, to support my dead weight body… I ignored the pain and jumped to the flaps, signifying the fact I was back at the tribe. I ran my hands inside my hair, purposely going insane. I signed again, and ran to wherever my legs would take me, feeling over stimulated, weirdly out of it. As it was a habit that I was slowly getting.

And it was not fun at all.

I watched blurs go by, sun go down, and moon go up, the stares, and the absence of mind. I don't know, but this place made some part of me stop working. Made me see what I hated to think about. And let me tell you, for the third time perhaps, that the feeling felt overly bad. I could take it, my mind was twisting, and I was going insane, not playfully or dramatic like, really loosing my mind, string by string. I was running, not the fastest I've done, but enough for me to cringe as I impacted against something, breaking my thoughts, cursing, then begin to run again.

It was tiresome to think; yet I couldn't stop.

I signed for the third time, falling on the floor, breathing heavily, my lungs happily sucking air, breaking my thoughts once. Making me puke on, myself, twice, and breaking my skull, three times…

That, right there, was an exaggeration.

I groaned, limbs spread apart, twitching with more adredelin. My heart dumped itself outside my tongue, because it felt like I was going to spew blood soon. My head told me to ignore it, basically, because it pumped against my head like a torpedo. I signed once again, and moved myself to my side, in a fetal position, mumbling things even I didn't know what they were about. I mumbled and signed for a few minutes more, but then snapped my head right when I felt someone nibble my ear. My eyes widened at the guard-boy, which seemed to love my expression, as was that full his grin. I watched him stand on the soles of his feet, shifting his weight, making it obvious how much more trained was he, more then I, but lets digress.

I stared at him, my eyes neither going wide or small, just jagged, he noticed this and giggled and signed all at the same time. He offered his hand, which I took, grudgingly, as he made past all bystanders and into a busy street, me in toe.

We moved along the waves of people, he'd smile at those that greeted him; I'd sneer at those who'd laugh. He made fast turns ignoring me to the maximum, contemplating what to do next. I took this time to look more around in the place I got myself lost to, as the sun glared my face, until I saw something that made my head snap in one direction, making an odd sound as I'd stare at my point of interest.

As we passed, I saw cloaked travelers, walking slowly, and trying to be secretive, even if it was daylight, and everyone stared at them. I shrugged dismissing it, loosing interest, seeing as the fact they were cloaked could say they were some type of specialist shaman…

How greedy that word sounds to me now.

I signed, as we passed them by a mile, and I swear one of them cursed then break into a fit.

Must have been my eyes…

Again.

I looked away, rather leaving my attention to guard boy then a cloaked potential 'terrorist'.

Yes, not very likely.

I signed, walking ahead.

--

A few hours later, we still walked what it took me seconds to get too, so it annoyed me when he insisted on walking slow, but I complied, so I wouldn't get in deeper shit then I suspected.

He looked back at me, and asked if I needed a break, for the thousand time. I signed and responded with a shake of my head, no. His mile wavered and he'd ask me again a few seconds later, this routine came to hours, till a female voice breached the awkward trance.

She came, wearing armor as well, to show her curves; she ran in an amusing way, to me, atleast. She stopped next to him, then kissed his neck, ignoring they were in public. He blushed and shoved her away. She smiled, then walked to me, and practically shoved me to the floor. "Hello there, Kune-kun," I snarled, but she only stepped her foot, pads of foot meeting my cranium, jet the guard boy didn't seem to mind.

Actually he praised it.

He practically jumped out of his armor to praise how wise and smart she was ignoring my head concussion. This seemed to satisfy her, as she let me crawl out of her feet, and stand, albeit confused and annoyed, she let it be. She then proceeded to make out with him, much to my disappear, seeing as people were staring again, yet they only gave it a snide laugh, then left them be, giving me the clue she did this a lot. So I snarled, opened my mouth, closed it, then gasped, as a swift kick to my groin made me fall to the floor. This made the teen-guard act, but not enough time to actually do anything, she later proceeded to coo his hair with her manicured nails, odd for what seemed like a soldier. "Well, Kin-Kin, it is time to se me around town, would you say?" I gasped as another sharp kick made impact to my head, breaking all ties my mind had with my body, as I gasped against the groan that ensued. I tried to open my eyes fully, but the shock from the hit made me only squint. And for a second I saw fear in his eyes, but it disappeared with a smile when the girl looked at me, verifying my theory she was a madam in her own right. I groaned again, but gave a nod when he looked at me, he signed.

"Ofcourse, madam-," he was served a hit, then he smiled rephrasing it. "Hai, hai, my cutey pie" My brow ridged, but I let my thoughts subside as she smiled, then tried to leave, but knocked the boy-guard as soon as he turned and waved. Again, I am very much saying that waving was something else here in this whacked out place. I let myself die inside, and walk more into the town, motion opposite then going back to either Hao or a angry grandlady.

Because I've seen worse.

I walked till I got to an artistic part of the village, a pain in my under still hot, I mumbled, again, to myself, but ignored it, making sure not to hit anything. Suddenly, all the artistic places got what seemed to be an upgrade, tents became artistic physiques, making me jaw-drop at everything and anything.

As I looked around, fascinated, marveling the art of it all, till a figure of a girl made my sights, breaking the thin thread of fascination, into shocked surprise, as something she held fell on me, as she was running so fast.

I fell back, in disbelief as the girl preached out a thousand apologies, crying that she would never do it again, mumbling how people were staring, I nodded, still in shock. But grabbed a hand when it came to me. She smiled and nodded her head, pleased noone looked at her anymore, or at least, none of them tried anymore. She grabbed both my hands, shaking them in a high speed, saying how good was to meet me, mumbling curses to those she didn't like.

Her smile began to appear, as she bowed a bit, and bit her lip. "Hello! I'mma Indie! Nice to meet you Manta-chan!" I eyed her as she sparked a bigger smile breaking all thoughts of insanity at them moment. I signed, the shook my hands away. "I am Manta, not 'chan' thought. And I like my hands, thank you very much" I wasn't trying to be rude, but her voice reminded me someone I disliked.

Who? I don't know, I forgot.

I signed as she pushed me along, telling me that it would be 'UBER' fun if they'd be together.

Joy.

--

**Hello, there.**

**Go to this: /topic/49523/7882072/4/#8357455 , NOW!**

**This story is less in words then my normal, but hopefully, you'll still read it. After all, who whould try a bit of bizzarreness?**

**If there's any doubt or confusion, I'm here, ya know.**

**Indigo, not so in.**


	6. Chap 6: No holding the past

**My last one, for me, rather didn't make the cut (but hey, I say that always say that). **

**It made this story rather…**

**Bad.**

**But with practice, comes better writing…**

**Right?**

**And for all the Manta fandom, I hope I make something so good you actually review…**

**I sound desperate, don't I?**

**Cuz I am.**

**Well, here it is, hope you enjoy.**

--

#Hitaus#

--

The girl smiled and chirped, smiling as she pulled me along the tapestries on the tents, giant boxes in her hand, balancing them with relative easy, how she bumped into me, would be a mystery if she haven't told me.

"These, are really important, I have to bring them to the only cement building here… it's so I can make a chance at being one of the greatest artistic shamans EVER!" I signed, her upbeat attitude made holes in my stomach, as she talked so lively of this place, it made all the things I've gone through seem like a twisted nightmare. It be a twisted nightmare if she haven't pushed me into the giant dome like structure, she had smiled charmingly, pulling me along. And to why I was letting myself along still plagued my mind, true reasons never really forming in my mind. She pushed me along, faster down the halls, mind buzzing with reasons to make her let go and run down the hall. But I didn't I just stared ahead of me, eyes bleak. Something in me just didn't understand what was happening, and if a part of me didn't know, then the other was surely in control.

"This place was here before we moved here."

I looked at her, as she still mumbled and giggled as she went down the halls, never making notice to herself she ever actually said anything. She easily juggled the boxes, dropping them off on different parts of the building, grinding the boxes with the tile, making U-turn and dropping everything she could, walking slowly yet never stopping, me crushing into things, making dents if I were slightly bigger or taller. She just giggles, never taking notice as she walked down the never-ending pathways.

The trip made itself know she was waiting, and stalling, as she'd frown around every corner after the 20th box, now delivering her 12th after. She mumble she was getting tired and worried, but would smile when she looked back at me. It went on like this till she delivered her last one, a medium brown box to 78th. She practically jumped for joy as she saw the only door from the first one, from the entrance, this made itself know, that she was only looking for this door.

"This is it, Manta, Door number 78th!" She nodded her head to it, as she put an arm around my neck, not before knelling, of course. But it took me some time not to get pretty-much-insane looking from all the people that knew my name. It was like I was the star attraction. It being that my small-stature made more of a success.

"The door I have to look for every day after the 12th, 20th, and 30th! The door that increase my chances…," She smiled at me, knowing look in her eyes, glowing to a way that made me know she was somewhat crazy in itself.

Not that I didn't know all of these are crazy, whatever way you slice it.

"The door that would give me a chance at being what I always wanted!" She smiled, which seemed to be a habit, as she'd smile, then drop it right afterward, as if she only did it for appearance. "As cliché as it may seem… it's a nice hobby wouldn't you think?"

I gave her a hard look, she'd not respond to said look, and I'd drop dead.

Withought the drop dead part.

It made itself clear that she was only being upbeat for someone else, at the moment, as she frowns every time an unknown spirit would pass her, not saying a word. She seemed rather keen on making something happen, but said something never did happen.

It was also obvious that she hated being this nice and cliché, as every time a ghost WOULD say anything, she'd frown when they demanded certain things, like sex, money, or children.

Like now it made apparent that was all centered on making these wannabe warriors happy.

It also made itself keen, when she didn't enter, she wasn't aloud in, as she'd mumble, look at her feet and chant a small song under her breath. She seemed so very bored, as she would make holes in the wall, which magically repaired itself. She'd sign every time a ghost told her it was on her tab to pay.

"You know what? I hate working here." I never responded, as we'd stay there, doing nothing but gobble up air.

--

It was annoying.

It was always annoying.

I sat uncomfortably in my chair, as my 'advisers' would tell me how Manta being here was bad for everything else, I already knew that, but I was struggling to see how bored I'd get of them before I feed them to spirit of fire.

"_Master Hao, he's already made us go to the humans, to repair something we could of easily done ourselves! Why? Couldn't it be best if we just let him die? It be best for all_!"

"_Hao-sama! This boy is making many doubt you, many of us, them, we must act, or people will rebel!_"

"_Please! The moment is now! We must de-head him as soon as possible_!"

I signed, these foolish ones always tried to sway my mind, as if the knew what's best for all, in the end they were the ones that would rebel, make a riot and burn our existence and show all to the world. It was easy to see, why they never tried to escape, it was simple but non-helpful in any way.

The reason they never left, because they never could.

I tapped my fingers on my throne, letting there words circulate my mind, as I let them, because if I didn't they'd cry murder, and make my life less enjoyable then the moment already forced upon me.

I sign as I snapped my fingers, hearing all there pitiful screams.

I looked around, as the men's bones riddled the jaw of my guardian spirit, and how I still heard there pain filled screams as they were burned, forever and ever. It was more peaceful to have no consultants, but people rumor, and that's the last thing I need.

People making half-lies about me.

Not that I care, but really, I don't need anymore crap, the thinking of all was unruly already. I just let my mind lock away noises, and make my mind more noiseless…

I you didn't count Spirit of Fire rude crunching.

I waved a simple servant, as he got up, and bowed to his toes, making sure not to show fear, even if I could sense it. He only smiled as a flickered fire around his neck and eyes, huffing sounds of pride at the fact he could still breath, because he easily could be dead.

He was dead.

More people came this time, no need to summon. They all wore pink garment, as the chirped in a delightful manner, proceeding to tell me that men in cloaks were entering the city unchecked, I asked them why they did not know of these, the men tried to answer, but could let out another word before I grew bored of them as well.

These all were worthless humans, not even shamans, why I even left them live so long was a mystery to even me.

I signed as I got up from my throne, lightly looking into the mirror of my tent, as I watched all from up high. These were moments I adored my peace, especially when I made damned souls live no more. But, then again, these were also moments I had to think clearly, and efficiently, if I can't do that, then what can I do except hope little brother doesn't cut me open with a knife, or that sword of his, and show that I was immortal. Yes, that be most annoying and troublesome, but not more then the thought that came at me when I saw little Manta-kun, bandages around his head…

--

"_Hao-sama, he is ready."_

"_Sure? If not, you'll be my next one to check of the list."_

"_O-O-Ofcouse! You k-k-know m-me!"_

"_No, no I don't"_

"_AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"_

_Many people cowered as they saw the woman be burned alive, master Hao seemed more irritable since people told him that prisoner number two, the little murderous psycho maniac girly-girl, had tried to kill the small boy that had only come a few days ago, and this didn't sit well with Hao. For some unknown reason, Hao was fond of the small boy, and had gone on a large destructive rant about how he_ demanded _people to take good care of him, that, and were was the young knight that was assigned to him, it made him angrier when a small child told him she saw him with his reported 'fiancé', he didn't kill her, but was ready to skin someone. Everyone wet their pants, even the nurses, when he ripped of many doors till he got to his destination, a few minutes ago. He was now entering the small white room, taking his sweet time, ignoring the open eyelids as he walked inside. Next to the boy, he smirked._

"_So, Manta, how are you?"_

_No answer._

"_Come, you can speak…. Can't you?_

_Again, no answer. _

"_Heh, your still not here, in the 'living' word, yet, are you?"_

_Hao bent forward, face above Manta's face, as he grinned down at the softly breathing boy, and flicked some locks from his face, admiring how it now made sense why Yoh still kept the weakling around. He was so intriguing, as how he would be smaller then a normal boy, teen, looking like one of those spirits the Aibu kid and his tribe have, it was sweet how the face didn't make him annoyed, whatever part of him that was left in Yoh, well, didn't go away completely, because their shared strange fixation on abnormalities was still there, it was just a matter of how both thought about it, but Hao knew, as he leaned on the steel pole of the moronic human bedding, that he could recognize something called obsession at a mental mile away, their interest in the hazel haired boy was the same._

'_So sweet, how were new, too. I couldn't get an eyeful of him before, now, I have as long as I want.'_

_The brunette leaned forward, liking that even in a generally depressed note, the boy radiated no bad will. Refreshing how he could easily hide it, it was fun to smirk against him too. Soft to the touch, like a nutritious fruit on a hot summer day, it made him grin how he would flick his face away in his sleep._

'_Cute, now, if only I could keep him to myself.'_

_The cynical one eyes widened especially after the boy under his face grabbed a lock and flicked it also away. What was surprising is that he snickered, even in a subconscious state. All in all, the little gesture made the taller one grin._

'_Yes, interesting indeed.'_

Hao later had to leave because the humans needed to do their abnormalities; the staff of Manta's operation was later killed, to how or why, noone knew, except the one that did it, and the ones that fallow like lapdogs.

--

Hao smirked, hiding it under his hair, as the servants called him; it was time to see these cloaked trespassers. Maybe they'll amuse.

--

After a few hours (minutes, really, maybe, but I left my watch at the inn) of doing nothing, the girl was let in, this, ofcourse, was surprising, since she just suddenly said, out of nowhere, that the spirits had just let her. I sneered, especially after she told me she only wanted me around was to be annoying, this girl was getting on my last nerves. She beckoned me over, opened the door, and let us both in. Inside was…

Nothing.

I stared, as she ran around the room, left everything on the ground, and danced in the middle, as if this was a palace were she had just found a couple million mummies, which would be impossible, since there's a fat chance you'd ever find that….

She turned to me, and smiled happily, I felt my face go into a split. "Isn't this great?! It's a _empty_ room, it's good luck!" I felt myself die inside. "Isn't? Isn't it?!"

I fell on the cold marble floor, eyes annoyed, as she bounced around, making it clear this whole trip was worthless and just a big game of 'how to annoy Manta', because, she had just gotten the high score.

"But not before this"

I gasped as she turned me upright and shoved a small thing in my hand.

"It's because of your outer patience you get it, hope you can better use it then the other one"

I stared, mind a buzz. '_Other one_?'

"Well, reasons to be here are gone! Bye!" She grasped both of my hands in hers, mouth holding a small blue device, she shook my hands speedily, then replied loudly as she pressed the oval bottom on it as well. "And don't forget, my names Hin! I never told you it, but hope you remember!" A big warp appeared behind me, she shoved me into it, as she said a small sentence before I couldn't hear anymore. "And, please, don't loose it! It's special, can help you out, and makes you a 'chosen one'. Just great, ne?"

Later, my ears were pierced by loud clicks and annoying vibrations. I must have done something bad if I was still in this nightmare.

--

I smirked; the cloaked figures were reported infront of the small little tent, probably for a pit stop. Whichever these trespassers were, didn't know jack of how to be secretive. Because none would give themselves away so easily.

Or maybe they were trying to get his attention.

Whatever the situation, a fast reply to it should end it, or maybe I haven't gone out that much, since the small thought bothered me, how could some strangers get in here so fast? I wonder.

I walked down the gravel; I glanced in every direction, ignoring the bowing citizens that would eat _dirt_ if I told them too. This was getting annoying, again, it was reported they were here, so were were they?

"Hao, were here"

I turned, I saw a small group of people infront of me, and I almost laughed when I sensed who they were.

"Yoh, Horohoro, Ren, Lyserg, that child-molester, what an interesting surprise."

They all snided, the most hateful came from Lyserg, like always, I let this humor me so.

"So, what made you find this dead-man-walking?"

"Simple, we need to know something you know."

"Simple, really? Hm, maybe…. Okay, tell me what you so want to know."

--

I fell on my bum, the warping sounds in my ears had officially stopped humming, this wasn't the problem, the problem was, the big man that was looming over me.

"Um, hi?"

The man didn't look happy.

"You're trespassing Hinsuken territory, punk."

I didn't say anything, just got up, and turned to the nearest exit, what I didn't think would happen happened, he grabbed me, sneered and slammed me against the wall, which was brick, which made my cough out blood. I felt dizzy, my eyes made their point to hurt at all times.

"You think you could leave Willy Nilly?! You're now to stay till we get an idea what to do with you!"

I moaned a mumble of pain, this made the man smirk at slam me gain, I felt my hair gain pounds as blood leaked.

"Yes, you'll be a prize." I almost died of the insane look on his face.

But I was saved by the bell.

"Master Hao is fighting!" A young, stripper-like boy wheezed out, as many men looked at him, and ran out, the one clutching to me was suddenly silent.

"Shit, I betted 5,000 yen he would be in a fight so soon…." He dropped me, not before punching me in the gut, as he ran out, like every other person in the room. "Don't you dare leave, I'll kill you painfully and slow if you do!"

I waited till they all were gone to worry, why they leave me alone? Didn't they fear I'd break out the already opened doors? Were they that cocky? I let my mind settle on that, as I balanced on the wall and ran out the door, ignoring the pain. I could be let down at the threat of death, I've seen it in the eye, so I shouldn't worry.

Much.

I ran down many streets, the tents growing harder and harder to find, as if the entire village had upgraded in the time I was gone. I ignored how everyone seemed to sneer at my appearance. My mind raced as I walked, ran…. Ran a lot. I didn't mind it, till I crashed head first into a wooden crate.

I looked around; said crate had many spirit charms inside of it.

I cursed.

I got up and ran, as the spirits and ghosts ran behind me, catching up to me fast, I couldn't out run them.

As I ran faster then I thought I would, I saw how I had two options, surrender and give the spirits full reign, or crash into something.

I decided crashing was much more safe.

As I literally flew down the dirty streets, I saw my chance, I had to, I could, I mean, run down a small ledge only I could fit. It was better for something that was material and couldn't chase me, but it was a calculated risk I had to take.

I sped forward, never looking back.

--

Yoh had made sure to entertain me, as he let out clashes of power at me, literally breaking holes in my defenses as his possy backed him up. The blunnette would try to speed me down, the purple tinted Chinese would try to brake my fluid of motion, and the green haired British would break into a rage and hit a hundred and one times, all times were blocked, but, oh well they never stopped.

"Hao, tell us now!"

I smirked as Yoh hit me, or tried, at the back of my head, it made itself know he had a score to settle.

"What you mean? I have already told you," I glided a defense against a team combo the fired at me, Lyserg fell to the floor, as millions of prickly pins snapped his ribs, he deserved it, he was the one that tried to go for my hair, a selfish assault. "You know I don't lie."

"Oh? We don't believe you! All you've told us are unrealistic scams!" The Chinese shaman went for my neck, I flicked him away, easily making sure he fell with a loud thud.

"Tell the truth _Hao_!

I let myself be hit that time by Yoh this time, I just let him so I could grab his arm, even as he tried to get out of my hold, I said silently. "You know I wouldn't lie, _brother_."

"You always _DO_!" He snapped at me, as he broke my hold with a sharp kick to my groin, I groaned, but low enough not to be heard.

I would of have stopped the little game and ended it, but a rustle from butches made me stop calling an order, I let my hand raise as mocked in a husky voice.

"Oh? Well, your _problems_… well… here they _come_."

I smirked, enjoying the semi shocked faces as certain hazel-head ran down a small hole in the wall, doing something one might not expect.

--

I ran past the small tunnel, angry spirits in toe. I wasn't looking infront of me, as I was more preoccupied with the fact that if I hit a route, there it went, game over. I wasn't going to let it game over.

I pushed past the shrubs, running as fast as my little feet would possibly let me. This made me note to self to get sprinting practice again. What unnerved me were the sudden gasps, I ignored those, even if they seemed familiar, I've hear enough to ignore them so.

But I wasn't trained to hit against a warm body, I'll tell you that.

I gasped as I collided with Hao, the cloaked figures, which I just noticed, as I saw them, for a split second, I heard them gasp even louder as Hao cuddled me closer to him as I felt the cloaked figures eyes on me. I could swear I could sense lots of happiness in Hao right about now.

"Manta?!"

'_Oh hell_.'

I turned, staring at an uncloaked Yoh, a crying one, straight in the face.

My heart litterly sank at it, my mind just froze.

--

**Did I end that right…?**

**Hi people, I was hopping a lil break would help in the review department, it didn't.**

**Hope you like.**

**Indie, out.**


	7. Chap 7: Letter Written in a Citrine Gem

**This is a sorta, maybe, kinda, sequel to my one-shot, Useful idea, I decided that I'll show you that this fic corresponds with my future one-shots, and the like. I hope you decide to like the lack of Manta, Yoh, Hao or angst will make you happier with this fic…..**

**Yes, I'm caving in.**

**Here, a bit of advice so you DON'T go crazy, this is happening at the momment Manta is at the tailor, to the point he's at the hospital, the time this happen is between that, seeing as this is a co-respondant to Useful Idea, as I've said before, and to those that didn't get it, or to those that wanted more (if any).**

**Now, sit back, get your mountain dew, and relax, it's fic-fic time.**

--

\/Hitaus\/

--

This was annoying.

I walked down various isles, shopping bags in hand, citrine necklace around my neck. As it turns out, after normal shopping hours, shamans came from there secluded houses and bought at the same shopping center I did, so as we were about to leave, a cleaning lady told us _we_ could stay. I almost bashed her head in, seeing as most of the shops occupants were male, and she said it a way as if she was not so swinging my normal way. She excused herself and explain this to me, Tamao didn't know that this was a popular shaman mall, and excused herself all the way to the other couriers, hanging all the bags she could in a way to make use to herself as she felt very foolish, even giving me a couple hundred bows and apologies. I told her to chill, she instantly froze.

Sometimes, she is too easy to command.

I practically waltz down the highlighted floors of the food-court, as my favorite foods just happen to be here, and it was presented this food was healthier then anything my fiancé could do, but as I walked past many tables, I decided to swing lightly around, making my already low dress hang from my legs, making me a eye catcher, ignoring my growing bump, many young and unmarried men began staring at things I'd make Yoh kill- maim them for. This, ofcourse, would make most stop staring. Most elderly couples, woman in charge of willful charges, sneered at me, seeing as I seemed underage to be impregnated, I just smirked in every one of those direction, they instantly stopped what they were doing, and got back to grandchildren or charges, as the children of parents, not grandmothers or nannies, were at the theater seeing the latest movies, like Spider-Man or the Incredible Hulk, or Harry Potter even. And don't think, even I, believe it's a waste of time, actually, I have grown fond of these movies, since boys are reported to take interest in these, and I might as well start to like things my child will probably see.

Probably, if I ever let him.

I already laid out a plan on how I was going to raise my boy, Tamao knew them, Yoh tried to understand them, I just needed to do what I knew I was supposed to do. The strategy when like this, first, after I gave birth and got officially married, in that glorious dress waiting for me in that old antique sowing company, which blinded many future otako's, by the way, I would marry my prince, or should I say king, then, I would subscribe my boy in major classes such as the arts, music's, spirit concentration and a grueling work out every day, brakes at specific times such as why I grow my plan out farther, then, I will train him in all the languages I can, including English, Spanish, Russian, Korean, and Chinese. This will make him have advantages in the future, many, I'm sure. After this, I'll train him all the arts of defending yourself as I can, human and shaman alike. I will concentrate on making him a true prince, and hopefully, he'll get the charm and intelligence to stay one. But what worries me is that he'll end up like Yoh, a slacker, a ruly one, but still a slacker.

"Anna, what are you doing?" My eyes snapped open, as I looked back to a timid Tamao, staring at me as if had just flashed the whole mall.

As it turns out, I sorta did.

I was leaning against a wall, in which had a small camera at the bottom, so it could see your shoe size, a weird contraption, but what I didn't know I was doing, while I silently thought to myself, is that I leaned into the main camera button, with the words 'Do not press' scribbled on it with black ink, scribbled lazily in caps, this button made the main screen all around the mall direct itself under my skirt, to my lacy pink panties, a gift from Jun.

--

"_Here, these are very provocative panties I bought for you, Yoh in mind, just when you need to show Yoh whose boss…. Even in bed."_

--

'_I hate Jun right now_.'

The only reason I put them on was because it was the last pair that Horo _didn't_ put on in his little drunk show of _drag_.

And let me tell you, that one started a whole lot more.

The blush went to my cheeks, but I made a snarl to go with it, so people believe me to be angry, this made most bystanders quickly look away. The others met Ms. Left Hand. And a few Mrs. Right Hand.

I looked around, spotting Jun and Pirika barfing in a nearby trash can for a second, then at Tamao, as I glanced at all the bags in her hand.

"Tamao, how much money we have already spend?" I called out randomly, Tamao, who was staring at the main screen, taking a faithful look, blush on her face, looked back at me, and nodded rapidly, getting redder she had just been caught in the act.

"Y-Y-Yes, A-Anna-_s-sa-sama_!" She squeaked out, taking a lot of resets from her purple bag we made her wear, with a pair of black skin-tight pants, and a bra-like shirt with one nice green jacket to match.

Jun said the bag was a nice touch.

"Ne… this says here… you… _we_… wasted about… about… a f-f-few hundred dollars!" She shrieked, obviously shocked we wasted so much in a few hours time; I didn't see the problem, all that money comes from Yoh's check. That still made me ask.

"You _sure_?"

Tamao almost jumped; surprised I actually _seemed_ to care. "Ye-Yes! W-W-Why?"

I smirked. "It was supposed to say YEN on there."

Tamao almost fell down, like those crappy _animes_ do when one character makes a joke.

"_A-A-A-Anna_! Be _serious_! We only have a few dollars… _yen_ left before we are officially broke!"

My eye brow rose up, making sure to seem serious to he, as I whispered a silently "_Then make due, Tamao, if this doesn't square out, you'll be the one to _pay," I saw a momentary fear light her eyes, till she remembered I usually threaten like that, then she mumbled a quick apology and nodded.

"Okay Anna-sama." Not stuttering that time, nice.

"_Good_." I walked to Pirika and Jun, still hurling, tapped their backs, and told them we had to get the furniture, they nodded, a bit green faced, but still nodded, and both headed to the furniture lot in the center.

I turned to Tamao. "You coming?" Her face snapped to me, probably in thought, she nodded. "Yes, A-Anna-s-sama…"

I signed; she couldn't stay withought stuttering for a second could she? "Come on, they _now_ close at 12pm, midnight, it's ten, come on" I walked off, I could sense her nodding.

"Y-Yes! Anna-sama!!"

She ran after me, but had to go back to get the bags she left on the table, later, we found that someone stole my new midnight blue scarf I was keen to replace my red one, seeing as Horo also used it for his secret parties I had found out only yesterday afternoon…

Don't worry, I had found and send that poor soul to hell.

--

"T-T-This one's so-so-oh p-pre-re-tty, A-Anna-sa-sama!"

"Oh no! We have settled this already! We think gender-wise, Tamao! NOT girl, no boy!"

I felt a strong feeling with deja-vu, but ignored so, as my hands twitched, itching for a slap, I didn't slap them, just because my condition inclined me from doing so. Jun was amused thought, seeing as she never grew tired at both girls' antics. So she did what anyone would do.

Tease them till their blushes reached their toes.

"So, when is my invitation for the wedding coming?"

She said it so neutrally, with a teasing tone, that it made it clear she didn't mind that type of relationship. Made sense, actually, since she married to a corpse, her guardian spirit, but then again, Lyserg married to his fairy, Morphine, so no complaints here.

Both Tamao and Pirika almost instantly grew high-grade blushes, almost black, as if ALL the blood in their bodies was now stored on there cheeks and ears. Tamao was fiddling with her shoes, gripping at her bag, eyes hazy with not-so-sane thought, I know, I read them. And Pirika, eyes flashing with fury, hands hitting at Jun's neck, as if trying to strangle her to take back her words, Jun just smirked.

"I'll kill you! How DARE you speak to me like that!"

"Not my fault you act like a married couple"

"_Married_?! If I were _married_, I wouldn't act so much like you!

"So you _admit_ it then?"

"What?! You-Me-AHHHHHHHHH!"

In the little fight, we got a bit of publicity, many low-grade shamans had stopped to watch the spectacle as Pirika and Jun hit it of, and, well, Jun almost was killed by a flying turkey bastor. What surprised me is that it ended up Tamao's bag a few hours later.

--

After a while, we went our separate ways, inclining me to look around the big apartment store. What I wanted, a simple cradle and baby-bed made me loose a whole grand in fresh wood, a new paint-job, and a few extra tweaks after a man told me that there was a new model that night, and I was lucky enough to get it, yeah, it costs about a few thousand dollars… _yen_… more, and, it said 'for 2006', a year ago, but he said it was new, so I easily let it so, seeing as it was a new model, yes, people stared at me in shock, I was happy, the attention made my baby kick.

I was such a smart shopper, who needs Yoh now?

As I walked on with my new purchase in hand, I saw something that caught my eye.

It was a orange haired girl, as soon as I got her under my sight, she gasped and ran away, my eyes sharpened, she fell to the floor, tripping on a loose end of a American bed coverer, falling on the floor with a crunch. I calmly let her go, as I saw her get up, she turned to me, and shook her head, suddenly grinning.

"You should go home now…"

I watched her leave, I let her leave.

"Anna-sama! The malls now closing! We have to get home!"

I signed as I heard Tamao's high pitched screaming, walking beside her out the doors, so did a black-eyed Jun and a half naked Pirika, only having a bra and a pair of shorts. If I were to choose, I would never come with these two again, they always made bystanders try to touch us.

--

It had been past 2 am, trying to get home thought being assaulted, but _lucky_ for us, we had a detour at the docks when men questioned me, why were we at the docks? Easy, a young boy when of with my boys necklace, I almost made him drought thought, seeing as I submerged him for a good few minutes.

Yet, here I was, walking home, my bags wet, and the clothing even more so. Pirika had left to get home a few minutes after we made the wrong left in a district, saying she can't get lost now, or her brother would eat all the ramen, we saw how hastily she left, after that, we saw why, her brother was in short shorts, wearing make up, and in drag, smoking a kid-cigarette, this made me want to punch him, but his pimp told me I had to pay, later hitting Horo's butt.

"Isn't he sweet?"

That line made me nauseous.

To a sense I am starting to believe that Lyserg was getting to him….

Next when Jun, saying she had another go at babies that night, as dark as it may have been. To a point, I am also starting believe people around me are loosing respect for themselves, or going insane.

Or both.

So, here I was, walking down a beat-up road, Tamao silently trailing after, humming to herself, but keeping quiet, never saying a word, as I instructed momments before. I sgned, this silence was something my ears couldn't take anymore, before, with the constant sound, like a real inn… real family… it saddens me how after the tornament, people… they driffed apart, as if momments from before made no meaning to them anymore…

I signed once again as I walked down the rocky estate of my house, shuffling my shoes at the door, as I waited for Tamao to come, I walked out to make sure she was okay, to my surprise she was already inside when I checked, she told me she had gotten here faster to clean. My eyes dulled. '_Noone, even Tamao, can take so much silenc_e…..'

I I signed for what seemed the thrid time, walking to my bed, stopping at every major point to be able to find Yoh or any of his friends, I found none, it seemed as if they left for a stroll and never came back.

"Yoh!" I called out, no emotion in my voice, trying to tuck away the paranoja I suddenly felt . It seemed to silent, way to much, I could put my finger on it, buit the whole atmosphere didn't suit this place. It was normally cheery and wholesume, not silent and withdrawn…

"Yoh!"

No awnser.

"Yoh!! Get down here!!"

Again, no awnser.

I swear Tamao was having either a giggle fit or heart attacks at my current situation….

I paced around all the rooms, and twice doing so, till I decided to get up from my perma-distraught state and check the main bedroom.

'_I'm __sure__ I have had nightmares about this_……'

I walked silently to the door, looking inside, dark, to dark too see. My mind recoiled, '_If I find Yoh in there… with some girl… I think I will scream_…' My crunched my eyes in worry, hand edging closer to the paper door, silently regretting not taking Yoh to the mall today. '_Oh…. Hell with it_!' I swung the door open, and turned on the lights, eyes closed, incase something bad happens. Nothing did, the only sound I heard was that of pure unadultarated silence, I grabbed a grip on reality and opened my eyes, fearing the silence to be of shock and not at the fact Yoh may not BE here. So, I let my lids fly.

_Nothing_.

I exhaled a holded breath, happy that my fears didn't come in to be true, which, I let myself smirk at, wasn't happening, seeing as Yoh would never _dare_ do that now, or ever. But in the back of my head….

'I hope'

I signed, plopping on the pillow of mine and Yoh's bed, softly breathing as I kicked of my sandals, and took of my beads and my necklace, easily taking slight relaxation in the momment of silence, but always having that inpending sense something wasn't _quite right_ in the situation. Yes, Yoh was nowhere to be seen, but he could be trainig or making things for me, I smiled, the thought was lighter then him getting it on with a random female, I should know. I fell down again, turning to my side of the bed, and for the thrird time this night, something caught my eye. I got up, albeit annoyed, because my eyesight was getting les well, since I could detect things like I used too, taking further the part of itako, but still got up, I lightly walked over to it, taking the bright object in my hands, noting how it was folded.

So I opened it up with slightly tempted hands.

As it turns out, it was a note, written in colorful aquamarine ink, strangely enough, since the paper was yellow, the words ended up green instead.

'_No more noticing the details! Just read the note_!' I barked at myself, gliding a finger to help me read the contrasting symbols, as my eyes dulled the image every time I read, it had gone to a point I had to fake knowing what long paragraphs said so people would notice, this was why my eyes watered as I read the note, not because of it contents… I _swear_…

But I had to re-read to make sure I was correct…

_Dear, Anna,_

_If you found this note, then your eye sight is getting better, not worse, and for that, I'm happy for you. But, this letter is far more important then a simple test of sight, no, this is I giving you an answer I always had no guts to say._

…

_I can do this anymore._

_Sorry, but I have to do things as I wanted, this life I gave you, I gave you peace, I want my perfect playground, I want my life, but, even that's not the reason I did this._

_I have to leave._

_Sorry, Anna, but I have to do something important, and I can't make you, won't let you, come with. This is something I must do, and even if you don't accept this, I'm going to do. I'm leaving you, but coming back, maybe when the babies born, maybe when I can see you, but, at the moment, I can't come back. Me, Lyserg, Ryu, Ren and Amidamaru are going to find… Hao, and even if it might be pointless, I have to do what we have set out to do…_

_And…_

_I have to tell you this, before I leave… not in your face, you'd probably slap me… no, in this letter, so, please, don't take it wrong way._

_Here, I'll tell you now…_

_Anna…_

_I… love you… but… I'm not IN love with you… Anna…._

_**Your nothing but a friend**__._

_Sorry Anna, good-bye._

_Good-bye to __**your**__ forever, Yoh._

I fell to the floor, knees hitting, rasping, tears freely down my face, thinking of how things weren't supposed to be like this… Yoh wasn't supposed to leave… he was supposed to be my lover in space and clouds… my heart…

I moved a hand to my heart, the other to my stomach, feeling a warm pulsation, as a kick caused pain down my body.

_Yoh_……………

**--**

**That's a wrap, hope you enjoy this Anna-centric chappie, and hope you like my slightly better writing**

**See ya on the flip side! Indie.**


	8. Chap 8: The Shape of Silent Prayers

**Hello, humble people that STILL DO not REVIEW, **_**WHY DO I STILL UPDATE THIS….?**_

…

**Sorry, Caps Lock……**

**Srssly, why don't I start a new story...?**

**Because I KNOW I would not like that.**

**I hope you enjoy**

--

Hitaus

--

Oh for the love of-….

My mind was easily swaged to not auto-implode, but just because I had enough sanity left to think that suddenly dieing was not, far not, in my best interest. Well, apart from the total implosion of emotions of the sight in front of me. Yes, however had my _life_ in their hands was _sadistic_. Here, in front of me, was a sight that I believe I never had the proper state of mind to _hate_. My friends had come to rescue me, probably, from a man that seemed to find comfort in hugging me _to close_ to my body to seem like an accident, being in disguise, then Hao, probably, _again_, finding them, coming to them, was about to do something really melodramatic, like implode his own city, then my friends would crack wise-puns, and somehow kick his sorry ass.

And said state of mind found it _too bad_ to comprehend.

Hao seemed to like the shock on his brother's face, because he doubled it, grinning ear to ear. "Ah, this might be a surprise, wouldn't you agree?" That wasn't shocking, his gloating, I mean, but lightly eyeing him with both eyes, well, that made the situation seem a bit out of bounds. "Well, isn't nice, thought, a little present for you after you loose what you have come here to get…" My mind ignored him, seeing as he was purposely trying to get Ren or Lyserg enraged to try to cut his head of, but subduing yourself wasn't what I had in mind.

"Hao, tell us, before we get _angry_…"

I let my eyes widen again, as it seemed to be my habit all these years, as Yoh tried to argue with deaf ears.

"Oh, sweet brother of mine, I have already told you, why don't you admit to that? Really, if you think I would lie, then I could easily give this boy away to Spirit of Fire, you being here is no to worry, yes, you now know that I am alive, but you knew this already if you went to try and find me, it be stupid to think you would march head on into lies if you believed them so" He glided his hands to my head, flicking one of my locks. "Yes, this situation you've come to informed me of is just a simple thing, nothing really, I still don't see why you are making such a big commotion over it. You must be really stressed if you actually dragged everyone along for the ride, as well." He paused, motioning Yoh and the others near, they didn't move, he grinned even more.

"You see, you have come here for an conflict neither of us need to care about, so _please_, leave before I decide that burning your souls would be more of a mercy then a sentence."

--

Anna signed, as she patted her stomach a few times, letting Tamao hit her back rhythmically, making her pains go, making her heart beat less. She had thought once that Yoh leaving her wouldn't be that bad, but that was before she gotten herself pregnant, seeing that she always had such a grip on Yoh she never thought he'd be 'foolish' enough to defy her, as it turned out, she was the foolish one to let Yoh hate her… hate her… hate her… hate her…

'_I'm the problem, aren't I? If only I wasn't so dumb_….'

--

Tamao was getting nervous, Anna was getting very depressed, even if she had only read that letter only a few hours ago, now it was dawn, and her relaxation techniques were getting the cold shoulder, because Anna's body literally felt like solid ice against her fingers, as she made motions under her building pressure, she felt her mind go numb with the blood running in her veins, as she tried not to loose it, Anna's mana made her eyes haze, she didn't know why, but she hated whoever made this happen to _all _of them.

She signed, as Anna fell to sleep for the thousand time, her stress had made her weak, and her letting her furioku to her silent fingers made her situation even worse.

'_What do I do? I could always lead her to a hospital, but this is a shamatic problem were talking about… Anna is who we are talking about, so not that… but leading her to Yoh-sama's grandparents would be like suicide for her now_.' Tamao signed. '_This will be so much __**worse**__ then the time Ryu made me go to him to the movies_…' She shivered.

After a while, Tamao decided to put Anna on her bed, and get herself some coffee and apple slices, she moved around the house for a while, thinking how things were going from sour to bitter, to bitter to devastating, she decided to eat outside then, seeing as she felt like getting less of that devious feeling of regret and harshness, so she sat on the wooden steps, she thought for a while. '_Anna-sama… and Yoh-sama… I don't know what to think, it may be best if things stopped being so complicated, but I don't see how… if Anna doesn't get hardened… then…. I would be afraid for not only the babies life, but the life of many… not me, not Yoh-sama… no… worse'_

Tamao sat there, thinking over her thoughts, and doing so again and again, coffee on her lap, slice in her mouth, she saw as the glowing gas star rise from the horizon, and burn the remaining of her silent tears, she just didn't know, because even her board cannot predict the unpredictable, and even silent prays cannot be heard as a benevolent rule.

--

I gritted my teeth, my mind going up and down, now was _not_ the moment to feel nauseated with a bit of distain. Hao smiled, curling her lips in a twitch upward, mischievous glee apparent on his face, and if I could look at the others faces, they would probably gagging at how easily I fit in Hao's pasty arms. I turned to see an expression, I only moved my head ever so slightly, yet this little movement made me come face to face with defeated warriors, shamans, I had gotten used to call my 'friends', at least, that is what Yoh-kun says we are, even if we don't seem it, because were only connected by Yoh… I signed, I was running my mind again, explaining things to myself, like I'm doing at the moment, which was annoying in itself, awful outside it… damn, and I just did so again…

Anyway, the look on their faces made my eyes glue over… Glue over? I really don't know what I just invented mean, but I do know that the expression made me feel like a worrying fool, a paranoid fool, not because their faces were determent, happy, or carefree, in Yoh's case, but they were silent, emotionless, serious, hurt, many uncertain emotions, visions of sudden reinvigoration made me notice how hopeless the faces were, I didn't let my mind think to much, even, as you can see, I _am_, but, still, less then normal. Then, I noticed.

Were was Horo Horo?

I let the question slip, but didn't let my gaze go away, so I just heard a defeated sign, this made me stare, even if I was already, and look at a infuriated, but calm, Lyserg.

"If you wish, _Hao_… really, why am I so polite?" We heard him mumble. "But know this, your answer is as idiotic as I knew it would be, so, I don't see why were still here, come on Yoh." I saw him drag away a sadden Yoh, this made me twitch, so many things were happening at once, it was as if life wanted to damn me, and do it quick, I didn't see why, but my mind was struck, it hurt as every one else, apart from Yoh and Lyserg, walked away, with no remorse, as if the mere sight of seeing me here had made them hate me and let me rot here, I saw the sun make the people once in front of me seen like silhouettes, even if not so, I let my mind cloud as I felt myself move withought moving my legs.

"Poor Manta-kun, just seeing you here has made them loose hope… sad."

I glared at Hao, as he made sure to press me to his chest, this made me squirm, the squirming made him make signals he would bite me, I snarled, in response, I felt myself be bitten…

I yanked at his hair.

--

I signed, Anna was starting to whimper in her sleep, and the noises made me rush inside, seeing as she was eight months along…

"Tamao"

I let my gaze fall back to the itako, as she stared at me blankly, eyes dull, as she normally did now, she had been trying to get up, I had tried to help her, she just pushed me away, I signed as she stoke softly her stomach as she let the syllables leave her mouth.

"I have something important to tell you…"

My eyebrows knitted, I nodded, my eyes had worry in them, I knew, but I didn't let myself seem immature or incompetent, Anna-sama needed me, and my mind, I could let her moment be lost."

"It's about the child………… I.-"

My eyes widened as I saw her fall to the ground, with a large, terrorizing, thud.

--

It was a few hours after she tried to tell me her answer… or request… or anything really, but I couldn't think about it now, now I had to help Anna as if that were my child inside her, I even went as far to say that I was gonna be the one with her inside the labor… room… thing… truly, I later had to explain that her fiancé (Yes, I right out said she had a fiancé) could help her, and I would have to be the substitute, this gave me stares as I rushed next to Anna's medical table as she was wheeled to the room. After this, I got the chair next to her, and had strange things, which I never got the name of, she, cried, which almost made me faint, and she screamed out Yoh's name for striking it up her at such a incredible moment in time. I felt my hand loose blood and go blue after 15 minutes into the breathing exercise, four hours after the contractions (yes, that was the weird things which I forgot the name of, I have remembered). She also screamed at me from being so nice, which made me blush, she just slapped me from 'getting the wrong idea', this didn't faze me, I just made motions on her back and head to calm her. After she had dilated enough, I was ordered to get out, seeing as I was _obviously_ the other parent of the child. This made me nervous, seeing as I had promised myself to be in the room, so I rushed in and took Anna's hand again, my still living one, the opposite one of the other I had given her, and yelled at the doctors that she needed me more then anything, as they told me once again to leave.

They left me alone that time, seeing as they had no other choice, and they helped out Anna get the gush of live inside of her, become a bundle _out_ of her. This made me happy, seeing as Anna smiles, I treasured the moment.

"Tamao, what should I call _him_."

I blushed, as I heard her say the gender I didn't think would truly happen, but made it seem like I had misheard.

"What, Anna-sama?"

I saw her sign. "What should I call him, Tamao?"

I looked at the child, mind searching for a correct name, mind going up and around, this made my face probably look pretty weird, as the baby went up and took my nose, I giggled.

"Something cute maybe, like Hino, or Chiyu… or Kao, or Hana... of Masato… or-"

"Hana"

I looked at her, confused.

"What, Anna-sama?"

"His name is Hana… my little Asakura Hana" She kissed its… _his_ forehead and motioned me to get him from her arms, I shake my head, she motioned harder, I shake my head faster, she snarled, signed, and pushed baby Hana in my hands. "You were here for me, Tama, so you get the second to hold the baby, you helped in this pregnancy as much as Yoh in seeding me." I blushed, and took the baby fully in my arms, I cuddle to me, and as if trying to get something to drink, pulled up my shirt, and pulled on my bra, and began to suck on my dry nipples, this made me blush at the touch, but let him do so, eventually he'll get that it doesn't have any milk for him to drink.

"Tamao"

I looked at Anna, smile on my face, blush across my cheeks to my ears, rocking Hana softly, later falling asleep on me, quickly, with my nipple still in the cool air, I tried to cover up, but Anna later restated my name, and wanted obedience.

"Do you remember that I was gonna ask you something?" I nodded, blushing redder, as a male boy walked across the open door, and looked at me half naked, only till a hand flew to his face, covered his eyes, and made him walk away.

"Yes, Anna-sama, before your… 'contractions' started…"

"Yes… well… this is a request, a selfish one too, but I have to ask you it, will you accept it?"

Her voice was low and careful, my mind was fast to respond, a quick 'yes' and nod was uttered, before she signed, letting her voice go.

"Well, I have to find a few things out… and I need this favor… it's important for me… will you still do it?"

I still nodded.

She signed. "It's not easy to ask you of this, even on short notice, even in such a time… but…"

_A silence was the only thing that could have been requested as she uttered those words._

"….. I leave you in charge of Hana"

…_I felt like Manta at the moment…_

--

**Hello people!! This is me, your hated fanfic writer, with a slightly better chapter for you ALL.**

**Also, if there is something, ANYTHING AT ALL, you do not understand…**

**You can ask… not like you will goes to the corner and sobs**

**Sign Well, anyway, this is the thing that is happening right now, first, Anna is depressed Yoh left her, Yoh left to find something out from some people, in which consist of Hao, he went to get him, with his fried, and, as soon as he got the apparent 'answer', he disbelieves it and tries to beat the 'truth' out of him, as OOC as it is. Manta comes in, Hao bribes them to leave, Hao goes with Manta to his place, Anna gives birth to her son, Anna tells her plan, shock moment at the end, as always, and, end chappie.**

**Night.**


	9. Note: Discontinued

UPDATE:

This fic is now going to be discontinued.

Because of the lack of interest; of me and those that view this.

Not like anyone really cares…


End file.
